Scoop
by Michael2
Summary: A reporter goes to Macross City to cover the launch of the SDF-1 COMPLETE
1. Welcome to Macross City

The Scoop

My life will never be the same again.

Everyone has said that whenever something significant happens. Graduating college, changing careers, getting married, having children. Some of the events in my life where I have said such a thing were typical events that almost all of us go through. But what I am about to describe is shared only by a very tiny fraction of the human population.

I began my journey in a Boeing 767 that served American Airlines Flight 11. I was sitting in the business class section, packed with hundreds of people. I felt the plane taxied down the taxiways at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. I felt the plane rise into the air. There were a whole bunch of people here, and I can hear snippets of conversation about their lives. I wondered how many of them were headed to where I was headed.

Six hours later, Flight 93 landed in San Diego International Airport in San Diego, California. I walked out of the 767 into jetway connecting the plane with the terminal. I looked at one of the viewscreens and saw that the flight to my desintation will leave in two hours. Nothing better to pass the time than hacing a hamburger and a Coke. The two hours were up and I went to the gate for Flight 77. I boarded the 757 and found my seat in business class. I soon saw all kinds of people sitting in the seats. All of them were excited, and they had every reason to be excited. Some of them reserved their tickets months in advance. My tickets were paid for by my employer, the Associated Press. This was not the first time I was sent overseas to cover a story. But this story would turn out to be the biggest story.

"All passengers, this is the captain speaking," said a male voice. "American Airlines Flight 77 now departing San Diego for Macross City."

I felt the plane rise into the air. Soon the California coastline disappeared from view, replaced by the blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean.

ooooooo

"We are approaching Macross City," said the flight captain. "We will be there in about ten minutes."

I looked out my window and I could see an island. Most of it was covered by a city, Macross City. I could see high-rise buildings, houses, shopping malls, parks, a stadium, and an airport.

And I could see the island's main attraction, the SDF-1 Macross.

The SDF-1 was built from an alien spaceship that crashed ten years ago. The governments of Earth joined together to study the spaceship and rebuild it. I saw pictures of it, read about it in news reports, and saw it on TV. And months ago, I was informed that I would be chosen to cover the maiden launch of the spaceship.

That was tomorrow.

I had all of my documentation prepared - my passport and press pass. Security is going to be tight, especially because of anti-unification forces. A few years back one of them even attacked the SDF-1. That was around the same time that a base on Mars was reported to be destroyed. My office had a reporter there at the time. It was the first death on the job from the New York office in at least seven years.

I felt a bump, and I knew that the landing gears made contact with the runway. A minute later, the 757 parked next to one of the terminals.

"We have now landed at Macross International Airport," said the captain. "Welcome to Macross City. Please proceed to customs."

The other passengers and I all got off the plane, walking along the jetway. We went to a door marked Customs. We had to place our carry-on luggage on a rubber conveyer belt passing through an X-ray scanning device. Customs officers questioned each of us.

"I'm a reporter from the Associated Press," I said. "I have my passport and press passes."

I was then waved through and I followed the path to baggage claim. The baggage claim was in a huge room. there were moving elliptical conveyers that had luggage riding on it. There were over a hundred people hereI quickly located my luggage; I thanked God that my luggage wasn't sent somewhere else like Bolivia.

I noticed how crowded the terminal was. I figured thousands of people were here, probably swelling the population of Macross City to a hundred thousand or so. I saw signs for car rental agencies, taxi services, and airport shuttles. I lined up behind at least thirty people for a courtesy phone. After waiting for at least an hour, I got to the front, picked up the handset, and dialed the number for the Macross Hyatt, which was the hotel where the AP booked me.

I went outside and waited among the sea of people. I noticed most of them were getting into cars, buses, and airport shuttles; very few were getting out. I waited for another few minutes. I then saw a red van with the Hyatt logo printed on it. I went to where it stopped at a white curb. The driver asked me who I was, and I answered.

"Hop in," he said. "We'll take care of the luggage. Don't forget to tip."

And so I hopped in. The van pulled from the curb. Traffic was heavy on the terminal access road. I probably would have walked if I did not have so much luggage.

"Traffic's heavy," I said.

"Well, you know the hotel is booked full," said the driver, a man in a suit. "Everybody's coming in. And it's gonna be heavy when everyone leaves. I'll probably make enough in tips to retire."

After about forty minutes, we left the airport. I could see the SDF-1.

"It's a beautful sight," said the driver. "I'll be watching the launch. I will miss seeing it from my apartment."

And then we reached the Macross Hyatt Hotel and Casino. It was a tall structure; I guessed there were thirty floors. It was dwarfed by the SDF-1, of course. It was late afternoon, the sun was almost gone. I got off and tipped the driver. The luggage handler volunteered to bring my luggage to my room.

The Hyatt was a luxury hotel. The floors of the lobby were made of marble; the desk made of oak. A brochure stand sat next to the main entrance, filled with brochures advertising the island's attractions. I could hear the noises of the casino which was just a few feet away from the registration desk.

"Your room is 1507," the desk clerk said to me.

The luggage handler and I went to the tower elevator. We shared it with some other hotel guests. As luck turned out, my floor was the top floor this elevator went to, so it took a few minutes to get to the fifteenth floor. After we got off the fifteenth floor, I looked at the signs and I noticed that my room was located near the elevators. I walked to Room 1507, used my room card key to open the door, and we entered. I tipped the baggage handler and he left.

The room was nice, with a soft carpet, a clean bed, a table with a General Electric clock radio. In the corner was a circular table for sitting. A room service menu sat on the circular wooden table.

I opened the curtains and I was impressed by the sight. The SDF-1 dominated the landscape. It was rectangular, almost a mile long, and probably a thousand feet high. I couldn't help but think that tomorrow, when I get my luggage out of the room, the ship won't be there.

My hunger had priority over my fatigue.

ooooooooo

I asked where a good place is to eat, and the desk clerk recommended this Chinese restaruant just a few blocks from the hotel. A girl with black hair greeted me and gave me a seat. I ordered chow fun. I saw a whole bunch of people here, some of them in the uniforms of the United Nations military. I studied their faces, wondewring if I would see them again when I enter the SDF-1 Shipyard. I ate every peace of chow fun, and I doused it with cold water. I paid the waiter my food bill and headed for the hotel. Minutes after entering my room, I was asleep.

oooooooo

I woke up and about 7:00 AM on the day of the launch. I picked up the telephone that sat next to the clock radio and I dailed the number for the Associated Press's New York office.

"How are you doing?" asked Mr. Chegwidden, the New York editor.

"Fine, sir," I said. "What time is it over there?"

"Five o'clock. I actually had to work late. Is everything all right there?"

"Yeah. The ship launches in four hours."

"Well, I'm gonna have to head home. The subway's crowded at this time."

"It's crowded here too. There are at least ten thousand visitors here, you know. It's amazing. Between the spaceship and the nightlife and the gambling, this place is like Vegas in the middle of the Pacific. I'd better get dressed, eat breakfast, and get to the launch site."

"Make sure to finish your report by tomorrow morning."

"Where you are, tomorrow morning is eleven hours."

"Well, don't dilly-dally. Get to work. You're not there on vacation, you know!"

So that was what I did.

oooooooooo

After dressing in a suit and eating the breakfast buffet that the Hyatt offers to guests for free, I went to the SDF-1 Shipyard where the SDF-1 is located. I showed the U.N. Spacy security policeman my press pass and she let me through. I was guided to a parade ground. There was a stage in the front, and behind the stage was the spaceship. There was a huge crowd of people- locals, tourits, and reporters from around the globe. According to the press release by the ship's crew, there was to be an air show scheduled before the launch.

""And now we present an amazing display of aerial acrobatics, demonstrating the amazing advances we have made through Robotechnology. Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker, leader of the Veritech fighters' Skull Team, will describe and explain the action for us," said the announcer.

A man in a dark flight suit came to the podium. He had blond hair and a fuzzy face. I took notes to carefully record what this Lieutenant Commander Fokker said.

"Today, ladies and gentlemen, you'll see how we've applied human know-how to understanding and harnessing a complex alien technology," said the commander. "Keep your eyes on planes two and four. flying at speeds of eight hundred miles per hour at only fifty feet above the ground, they will pass within a few yards of one another. Robotechnology makes such precision possible."

And so I did. My eyes then caught another plane. it was not a jet fighter like the other planes; it was a small one seat fanjet. The other planes turned to avoid the small plane.

"Rick, is that you, Rick Hunter?" yelled Fokker. I guessed the commander knew the pilot of the fanjet. "Are you crazy? Get that junk heap out of here! Hunter, when I get my hands on you!" The commander then dropped the microphone stand.

Then I saw the fanjet climb high into the sky, catching up with the fighter jets. The crowd cheered, and I was certainly impressed with whomever was flying the plane. The little fanjet then landed.

"Excuse me, folks," said Fokker, running off the stage. I looked and saw him talk to the fanjet's pilot, this Rick Hunter. Apparently Rick Hunter was just a kid, younger even than me.

I looked around. There was this orange colored jet on display.

"This is one of our trainers," said a Spacy sergeant. "We use this to train the veritech fighters. It's a two-seater; the instructor sits in the back."

"What does it do?" I asked.

"Blow shit up. What else is it for?"

I questioned some other members of the crowd. They told me about how they saw this ship being built over the years, or they told me how much money they spent to book a flight and a room to witness this ship's launch.

And then it happened. There was a scuffle. I saw a crowd of people gathering around, angry for some reason.

"What's going on?" asked a Spacy policeman.

"He has a bomb!" yelled one of the guests of the launch ceremony.

All of us kept our distance. As they propped the man up, I could see dynamite strapped to his waist. He must belong to an Islamic anti-UN faction; they orchestrated homicide bombings over the years. It was lucky this guy was caught, or else this day would have been a tragedy. At least that was what I thought at the time.

"Everyone remain calm," said the announcer. "Our security has neutralized the threat."

Then some important people came in. There was this man in an expensive-looking suit, and with him was another man wearing a hat and a very fomral-looking military uniform complete with a cape. The man in the expensive-looking suit came to speak.

"This is the day we've all been waiting for for ten years," he said. "The Robotech project has been a boon to the economy of Macross City, as well as bringing advances in science. Most important of all, it brought peace to Earth, with the exception of a few malcontents."

I saw the military officer enter the ship. I looked at my watch; it was 10:30.

I saw Commander Fokker near that orange fighter. I walked up to him to ask him a few questions.

That was when I saw the light show.

A huge beam of light shined from the front of the SDF-1. It was brilliant. After that it faded. I immedaitely noticed a trenc h cut in the hills next to the city.

Fokker started running in my direction.

"Commander Fokker, may I have a word?" I asked.

He continued on without saying a word. I saw milityary personnel running about.

Then the siren blared. It was an air raid siren.

"All civilians must evacuate the premises," said a voice. "This is a full combat alert."

I left the base and walked back to the Hyatt. I could see fighters taking off from the SDF-1 Shipyard. When I got to my hotel, I looked up at the blue sky, and saw these explosions.

It seemed as if one of the anti-UN factions launched an air raid against the SDF-1. I wondered if it was related to the homicide bombing attempt minutes earlier. I noitced flaming debris crashing a few blocks away.

Some of the planes flew close enough that I could see some detail. I noticed a Jolly Roger insiginia on one of the fighters; it followed an enemy fighter, green in color, and fired a missile at the enemy fighter. The fighter then blew to bits, raining debris.

The battle above continued as the fireballs lit the blue sky. I was under the awning of the Hyatt's main entrance, to protect me from debris. It raged on for a few minutes.

Then I saw an enemy fighter go down. It was green in color and cone shaped. A trail of smoked followed it. It appeared bigger and bigger. I could see the emblem; one which I was not familiar with.

Then it crashed onto the street and skidded, coming to a stop right next to the hotel.

That thing was huge, about as tall as a six-story building, much bigger than our own fighters. That definitely was not a fighter plane. It could fit over a hundred people inside.

Then I saw the fighter open, and something stepped out. It was a man-shaped figure, about as tall as a lamppost. TI wondered if this was some sort of giant robot built by one of the anti-UN factions. The arms went for the head.

The head was pulled off to reveal an inner head. The head looked human, with two eyes, a nose, a mouth.

That wasn't a robot! That was a fifty-foot tall human. Apparently, one of the anti-UN factions developed a way to make giant humans. This giant then pulled out what appared to be a pistol, made for his size.

Then the giant made eye contact with me. 


	2. Knight Time

I was standing in front of the Macross Hyatt Hotel, with a fifty-foot tall human looking at me, standing next to a fighter plane made for fifty-foot tall pilots.

How could such a thing be possible? I mean, I read somewhere thata human who was fifty feet tal would not be able to even stand up. And yet, this fifty-foot tall human was right here. Whose idea was it to make humans fifty feet tall? Was this island going to be overrun with fifty-foot tall humans?

Then I saw one of our own fighters flying towards the hotel. I figured the pilot must have seen the giant human. The fighter was colored black, with a red stripe across the fuselage between the left and right sides.

Then I saw the thrusters detach from the body. I wondered if the fighter was damaged. Then I saw two arms emerge from the uhnderside of the fighter. The nose section and wings folded into the fuselage. When the plane touched down, it was no lionger a plane. It looked like a giant suit of armor. The rectangular head had two antennae and there were two green horizontal bars.

And this giant suit of armor was packing a huge gun, made for its size.

It aimed this weapon at the giant, and I heard the familiar sound of gunfire. The cartridges coming from the gun were as big as trash cans. I could see blood bits of brain matter blasting away from the giant's head, proving to me beyond a doubt that the giant was a living thing. The giant fell to the street with a hard thud. I wandered to the street to where the fallen giant lay, and I stared at the armor suit which was once a fighter plane.

"Are you all right?" asked a voice which apparently came from the plane/armor.

"Yes!" I shouted. What I noticed was that the voice from the armor sounded high pitched; the pilot must be a woman.

Then I saw the suit transform. The nose and wings folded out of the fuselage. I thought it was turning back into a fighter, but the transfomration stopped halfway. It looked like a plane with two arms and two legs, sort of like a bird or something. I could see the cockpit, and there was someone inside.

The canopy opened. "Hop in!" yelled the pilot.

So that was what I did. The pilot extended the left arm down to the ground, and I stepped onto the palm of the mechanical hand. The arm lifted me up and I was able to scramble into the back seat of the cockpit.

"Okay," said the pilot. "I'm gonna bring you to the shelter. Make sure to fasten your seatbelt."

"Okay," I said, fastening the seatbelt. I was going to ask that Commander Fokker person to give me a ride in that two-seater; I guess I didn't have to ask him after all. Soon we were flying a hundred feet above Macross City at a speed of about fifty miles an hour.

"Are you injured?" she asked. "Should I take you to the SDF-1 sick bay?"

"No, I'm fine," I said. "Thanks."

"It looks like the air assault is over."

"Maybe the danger's passed."

"I should still get you to the shelter. Everybody else is there, and someone might worry about you."

"I'm not from here; I traveled here on business. I'm a reporter."

"Well, you'll certainly have a story to tell."

"Knight Ten, do you have the civilian with you?" asked a male voice.

"Yes, Knight Leader," replied the pilot. "I'm only a few minutes to the shelter. Any word of a second attack wave?"

"Keep the comm line open."

"Yes, sir."

"What faction sent that giant creature?" I asked.

"We don't know yet," replied the pilot. "But the reason the battloids were built was to fight giants."

"What?"

"The alien spaceship that we rebuilt as the SDF-1. Sections of it were designed for fifty foot people."

"I wonder if that giant has anything to do with the spaceship."

"Don't know. Right now, I have to take you to the shelter. There it is, straight ahead. We'll be there in less than a minute. Yaaaaah!"

The pilot made a sharp turn. My glasses fell off my face. "What was that for?" I asked even as I searched for my glasses. When I put them on, I saw that the canopy was covered with some sort of shield, so I could not see through it. A monitor screen popped up, along me to see where we were going.

I could see buildings. And behind the buildings, I could see these globes standing on two legs. They clearly stood tall above the buildings; they look big enough for a UN fighter jet to fit inside.

"This is Knight Ten," said the piloty. "I'm surrounded by these, by these pods. I need cover so I can get my passenger to safety."

Then I felt us move. I saw explosions. I then saw the enemy pods trying to get us. They were firing these beams. I could see the arms of the armor aim the gun and fire it at the pods, pinching hpoles in them and downing them. But then more pods arrive. From what I can see on the monitor screen, we were taking cover in the buildings of Macross City while trying to avoid being shot to pieces by these enemy pods.

"I'm pinned down by enemy fire," said the pilot. "I'm running out of ammo and I need help."

We kept running through through streets, taking shots at the enemy pods. A building we were using for cover collpased. I could see several pods, including one with what appeared to be a missile array.

We turned and we were surrounded by enemy pods.

"it was nice knowing you," I said to the pilot.

Then I saw explosions, but it wasn't us that was exploding. I saw more fighters with their legs extended. They transformed into suits of armor.

"We got you covered, Knight Ten," said a male voice.

"Thanks Knight Leader," replies the pilot.

"Is the civilian okay?"

"I'm okay," I said.

"Knight Ten, you will take the civilian to the shelter and we will provide cover fire."

"copy that."

The canopy shield opened and I could see through it. We flew towards the shelter.

Then this pod jumped right in front of us. It looke different though, for it had arms as well as legs. The arms did not have hands; they had mean looking cannons. And on the head was another cannon. It must belong to one of the enemy leaders, I figured. The pilot truend to avoid the enemy pod.

"Oh shit I lost my gunpod!" she screamed. I looked at the monitor and I can see the gun lying on the ground. I also saw the other enemy pods were keeping her team busy.

I felt the armor jump and from what I can tell, we jumped right on top of the enemy pod. I could hear the armor's fists pondung on the enemy pod. The pod's canopy opened, revealing yet another giant. She pulled the giant out of the pod and started pummeling it with the armor's fists. The giant struck back, and I could hear and feel the impact. The pilot then pointed the leg at the giant;'s head, and then burned the giant with the hot engine exhaust.

"Change of orders, Knight Ten," said Knight Leader. "We are to go dock with the SDF-1."

"I still have the civilian on board," said Knight Ten.

"He'll be safe on board the ship. It's taking off now. You go there first; the rest of us will cover you."

Once again, the cnopy shield was withdrawn as the armor turned back into a fighter jet. We flew upwards, and I can see the SDF-1 Macross rising in the air.

"Knight Ten to SDF-1 Control," said the pilot. "I am requesting permission to land and I have a civilian on board."

"You are cleared to land in Landing Bay Five Zero Four," said the control officer. The image of the control officer appeared on the screen, a woman with brown hair.

I saw the SDF-1 get closer and closer. Soon I can see ther landing bay where the fighters are parked. We soon entered the landing bay at it was huge. I saw a huge door open ahead, and the pilot taxied the plane into the next room. The next room was huge, and there were several fighters in here already, accompanied by support vehicles and personnel. I saw the numerals "504" stenciled on the wall. I figured this was a hangar bay.

The cockpit canopy was opened. A man wearing a cap and overalls told me to climb down, so I did. Once I was safely on the floor of the hangar bay, the pilot came down. She removed her helmet.

I looked at her and she had long blond hair coming from her head. I gazed into her eyes which were as blue as the ocean surrounding Macross City. She extended her hand to me and I introduced myself as a reporter from the Associated Press.

"I am First Lieutenant Jenna Murphy of the United Nations Space Marines' Knight Squadron," she said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

We shook hands. "I want to thank you for the rescue."

"We'd better have a Spacy corpsman look at you."

Soon, another fighter entered the hangar bay. The pilot was amna with black hair and a moustache. He was young.

"so this is the guy you rescued, eh?" said the pilot.

"That's right," I said. I introduced myself to him.

"Second Lieutenant Jonathan Wolfe," he said. "That's Wolfe with an "e" at the end. I want you to makje sure my name is spelled correctly when you write about all of this."

"Sure," I said.

More fighters docked in the bay. I saw Jenna stand at attention to one of the pilots, which I figured was the commander.

"Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett," said the pilot, a man with brown hair in his early forties. "I am the commander of Knight Squadron and I report to Colonel Maistroff who is the commander of the Marine detachment to SDF-1."

"I'm Major Dan Colmes," said a red-haired man. "Second in command of the squadron."

"When can I return to Macross City?" I asked.

"When we hear the civilians are being let out of the shelters," said Colonel Beckett. "How about we take you to our office?"

The colonel and Jenna Murphy led me through some corrdors to the office. One thing I noticed was a lot of cardboard boxes lying about.

"We're still settling in here," said Beckett. "Don't mind the mess. Besides, once we chase the aliens away from Macross City, I'll have Murphy fly you back."

"The ride going home won't be as bumpy," said Jenna Murphy.

I heard a telephone ring and Beckett went inside one of the inner offices. He then wen tback to the main office.

"You'll have to fly a little farther when you take him back to Earth," said the colonel.

"What's going on, sir?" asked Jenna Murphy, who was cofnused by the statement.

"Attention all hands. Priority! Fold system standby! Readying energy at maximum-green at all power sources," said a female voice. "All hands to emergency stations. All hands, emergency stations. This is not a drill, I say again: This is not a drill. Prepare for fold operation in T minus five minutes and counting-mark."

"What's a fold operation?" I asked.

"A really fast way to travel," said Jenna Murphy. "Stay put here. I have to go to my emergency station."

She and Colonel Beckett ran off. I sat on chair, looking at all the cardboard boxes lying about.

"We will execute fold in ten seconds. Nine... eight... seven..Six... five... four..." the ship, though massive, was shaken like a child's toy by the sheer power of the fold generators. "Three... two... one..." Time seemed to stop forever. "Zero."

And then I saw all these bright colors, like an acid trip or something. Everything starrted to blur. I looked at my hands, and they looked like they were splitting. This would be a cool effect at a concert in Madison Square Garden.

And then it stopped. I decided to wait for Knight Squadron. There was nothing in this office to look at, no bulletins, no posters, no nothing.

And then I saw Lieutenant Jenna Murphy come into the office.

"The colonel thought I should be the one to tell you," she said. "I can't take you back to Earth now."

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't have enough fuel in my Veritech. You see, the ship is now in orbit around the sun near the planet Pluto."

I squinted. "Did I hear you right?" I asked. "Pluto?"

"Yes."

"Well, if we can get from Earth to Pluto in a few hours, then it should only take a few hours to get back. I doubt there's traffic."

"You don't understand. The fold system is sort of broken now. We can't fold back to Earth."

"How long will it take to get back?" I asked.

"At conventional speeds, about a year."

"A year in space?" I asked. "I never flew in outer space before. There was a guy in my office who was killed on Mars when one of the anti-UN factions blew up Sara Base."

"You're the lucky one," she said. "You see, when we folded to Pluto, we also took Macross City with it. You are the only confirmed civilian survivor." 


	3. A Long Way From Home

Okay, here I was in a Marine fighter squadron office on a spaceship which apparently went to Pluto but for some reason can not go back the way it came and now it must take the long way home, a trip that might take a year.

"So where will I sleep?" I asked. "I mean, I can't sleep in the office."

"I have an idea," said Lieutenant Jenna Murphy. "Follow me."

The fighter pilot led me out of the office and through some corridors. I notice the doors all had numbers stenciled on them. Jenna Murphy opened one of the doors.

"You can stay in my quarters," she said.

I looked around. There was a bed and a dresser and suicases full of clothes. Jenna Murphy opened one of the suitcases.

"Here's a T-shirt and shorts in case you want to take a nap," she said. "Unless you prefer to take a nap in your suit."

"Thanks, Lieutenant," I said. "I really appreciate this."

"Call me Jenna. I only expect military people to address me as lieutenant."

"Thanks, Jenna."

"I just want to make sure you're comfortable. We don't know if anyone else survived. I heard that Commander Fokker of Skull Squadron picked up someone else, but it wasn't confirmed. Anyway, I have to go to the office now."

And so the lieutenant left. I looked at the T-shirt, which had the word FLYGIRL stenciled on it. I removed my coat, necktie, shirt, and pants. I slipped the T-shirt and shorts on. I looked around. At least there was gravity here; I read about other people's space travel experiences. I wondered how space travel was like forty years ago, when simulated gravity systems had not been invented. I lay down on the lower bed. Soon I drifted off to sleep.

oooooooo

I woke up and immediately knew I was not in my apartment nor a hotel room in Macross City. I looked around and I was in the quarters of a fighter pilot, on a ship that is near Pluto. And I was hungry. I hoped this vessel was provisioned for a year's supply of food. the idea of returning to Earth as a corpse was not very appealing.

I wondered if there was a library on this ship. Television was out of the question since we were too far to receive television broadcasts from Earth.

I heard a phone ring. "Hello?" I asked.

"Hi, this is Jenna," said a female voice. "How are you doing?"

"I'm hungry."

"the ship's crew is providing all of us with rations."

"I hope they don't mind a civilian eating in the officer's mess."

"Oh no. You see, we found more survivors. They were in the bomb shelters."

"But if the island was taken into space..."

"The shelters were designed to protect from NBC warfare. There was still enough air left inside to last for a day, long enough for us to get everyone out."

"That's great," I said. "I'm glad I wasn't the only survivor. How many survivors were there?"

"Seventy thousand."

"I guess I'll see you later. Maybe I'll join them."

I hung up the phone.

And then it occurred to me.

The ship was only built for a total capacity of seven thousand, including its crew of three thousand. There wasn't enough living space for seventy thousand people. This was a hell of a lot worse than when I was the only confirmed survivor. At this rate, almost all of us would die of starvation before reaching Saturn. Unless this ship can go back the way it came, the SDF-1 Macross might as well be a coffin.

I looked at my hands, and I looked at myself in the mirror. So this is how it will end. I will starve to death on this ship.

I heard the door knock and I opened it. I saw a man in a uniform.

"Corporal Dow," said the man. "I'm here to take you to where the other refugees are located."

"Sure," I said. I put on a pair of flip-flops and Corporal Dow led me through the steel corridors of the ship. We went into an elevator and he presses a button. When the elevator doors opened, it opened into a huge cavernous space in the ship. I could see a sea of people inside. They were all dressed in various outfits. One day, they were living their lives, most of them anticipating the launch of the SDF-1. Now they are inside the SDF-1, which was located farther than they have ever been from home. Hundreds of the were lined up.

"Please line up for food and water rations," said a voice over the speaker. "There will be no disorderly conduct."

I joined the line. I noticed marines armed with rifles to keep order, and I saw a huge suit of armor keeping watch; it did not like like the suits of armor that can transform into fighter jets. I waited for hours as my stomach growled. I finally reached the line, and a Spacy crewman gave me something.

"Ration bar," he said. "Developed for long space voyages. It'll keep you alive."

"Thanks," I said. I ate the ration bar, which tasted sort of like a granola bar. it had this richer taste though, due to extra nutrients. And it would keep me alive. But then we will run out of ration bars, and then we will starve. The crew might as well decompress the whole ship; death by asphyxiation can't be as bad as death by starvation.

After a few hours, a truck pulled into the cavernious space. Marines handed out blankets. I lined up for hours to get a blanket. Just seconds after getting a blanket, I saw a little boy who did not have a blanket.

"Want my blanket?" I asked.

"Sure, mister," said the boy.

I have him the blanket. I decided to sleep resting against the bulkhead. It wasn't exactly a comfortable sleep. But tired people manage to find sleep in even the most uncomfortable surfaces.

ooooooooo

The next morning , I woke up and I received the breakfast ration from the crew, wondering how many days of rations we will have left. I also wondered if the crew were planning to send some of us refugees to the vacuum of space to make the food last longer. After all, the fewer mouths to feed, the longer the food supply will last. Will they get rid of the elderly? The sick? The disabled? Will law and order break down and the SDF-1 turn into a ship of cannibals?

There wasn't much else to do but talk to the other refugees. I got statements from some of them. I promised them that I would send a message to my office in New York so that the people of Earth would know what we went through.

Then after hours in this cavernous space, I heard an announcement from the PA. But it was not an announcement for ration distribution.

"Hello, this is Mayor Tommy Luan of Macross City," said the voice. "I am pleased to inform you that the crew recovered food from the warehouse district. I would like to thank God, Captain Gloval, and the crew of this fine ship for making the effort. I have a proposal. The crew's engineers, the Macross City Public Works Department, and I have been discussing plans. We plan to build Macross City inside the SDF-1."

That guy has to be kidding! I looked around and the crowd seemed to agree.

"All the building materials are already located on the island," said the mayor. "We're going to salvage them and any vehicles, equipment, and supplies that we can. We still have each other and we have hope. We can make it back to Earth. We will make it back to Earth."

oooooooo

The next day, all sorts of construction equipment and vehicles moved into the huge cavernous space. The armored suits, which I leanred were called mecha, stood guard. Many of the refugees volunteered to work in constructing the new Macross City. Even I pitched in. I made sure to keep notes, as I would write this story and submit it to the Associated Press whatever way I can.

Mayor Tommy Luan was watching as his city was being rebuilt inside the SDF-1. He was a short pudgy balding man with some black hair left on his head.

"Excuse me, your Honor," I said. I introduced myself. "I'm a reporter from the Associated Press."

"From what office?" asked the mayor.

"The New York office."

"So you're just a visitor."

"I only intended to stay for one night. I guess I'll be staying in Macross City for a year. I'm going to write news articles."

"And you want an interview?"

"I'd like some things. A laptop computer and a printer. Someday, a hundred years from now, people are going to read what we wrote about this."

"Well, feel free to ask me a few questions."

"When did you come up with the idea of rebuilding the city?" I asked.

"It started when I heard the crew got back the food from the warehouses," said Mayor Luan. "You see, we needed to make more living space to house everyone, and this place is large enough to fit a small city."

"What do you plan to build, sir?"

"Apartment buildings, businesses, libraries, schools, a hospital, and a park. There's plenty of stuff to be salvaged from the island. The Public Works Department is working with SDF-1 Engineering to build the city."

"So who's going to be in charge?"

"The elected officials of Macross City will make laws, and the police and fire departments will continue the duties they had before our relocation. Once the city is operational, the municipal government will be open for business. I think trying to recreate some of the life we had on Earth will make the transition easier. We have a long journey back home."

"I'll look forward to that, sir."

"Where did you get that T-shirt? Flygirl?"

"A fighter pilot loaned me these clothes," I said. "She was the one who picked me up from Macross City and brought me here before we all went to Pluto. Your Hionor, I hope you can loan me what I need."

"I'll see what I can do," said the mayor. "Captain Gloval told me that the city government will have sole discretion on what to do with the salvage from the island."

And so the construction continued for the next few days. The apartment buildings were the first to be built. All of us here registered with Lieutenant Commander Ward, who was assigned as the officer in charge of the refugees. He would also become liaison to the city government once Macross City is rebuilt. We got the usual rations, just enough to keep us alive. At least obesity would not be an issue here.

Once the apartments were finished, the crew assigned us rooms. We had all registered with the crew. Because I was not here with a wife or kids, I was assigned a studio apartment. The apartment was bare, except for a bed and a telephone. I guessed the furniture retrieved from the island was still in storage.

I lay on my bed. The only stuff I had were the clothes I borrowed from Jenna Murphy. Does she even remember me? She still has my suit.

I heard the phone ring. At least the city has a telephone service. "Hello?" I asked.

"It's me, Jenna," said a female voice. "you know, the pilot that saved your life."

"What's up?" I asked.

"You left something in my quarters."

"My suit?"

"Yes. It's still intact. I'd like to bring it to you. Coiuld you tell me where your apartment is?"

oooooooooo

"This place is bigger than mine," said Jenna, after she handed me my suit.

"Not much, just a bed and a phone," I replied.

"At least you have your own bathroom."

The bathroom was built into one corner of the apartment.

"So how are you doing?" she asked.

"I just moved in here today," I said. "How did you know my number?"

"I looked up your number on the database after the city's telephone system went online. I knew each refugee family will get one living unit."

"Well, I think I'm going to continue my work. I'll have a lot of articles to write. I hope the city gives me a working computer. In the meantime, I'm going to get some clothes from the Spacy. They're going to be handing out spare clothes to us."

"So tell me about yourself. You're from New York, right?"

"Right. I moved to Manhattan to work as a reporter at the Associated Press. I traveled around the country."

"Any family?"

"Yes, my parents live in Queens. I have two brothers and two sisters."

"So do I," said Jenna.

"What part of Earth are they from?" I asked.

"They're not from Earth. they live on Apollo colony on the moon. My dad's an aerospace engineer and Boeing has a lunar construction facility for spaceships."

"I'd better go get new clothes," I said. "The lines are long and they might run out of clothes my size."

"I have to go to my duty shift in ten minutes," said Jenna. "See you later."

oooooooooooo

The ceremony dedicating city hall was today. It was very important, as this marks the opening of the Macross City government. I was there, dressed in my suit.

"I am proud to introduce Mayor Tommy Luan," said Commander Ward.

"Thank you, Commander," said the mayor, dressed in a suit. "For the past two weeks we have been building new homes and new shops here in this ship. We now have electricity, running water, and telephones. We will soon have libraries and schools and parks and community centers. Today marks the opening of the city hall. From now on, we will be responsible for the city. We will build a life for us, right here on this ship."

Everyone clapped.

"And now, I hereby dedicate the Macross City hall." Mayor Luan cuts a ribbon. Behind the ribbon is a four-story building. Above the entrance were the carved words MACROSS CITY HALL. I took a closer look at a bronze plaque. It mentions that the buuilding was constructed from the remains of the old city hall.

"Excuse me, sir," I asked. "I'm with the Associated Press. Are the police and fire departments in business?"

"Yes," said the mayor. "As of now, the Macross City Police Department is in charge of law enforcement, while the Fire Department deals with fires."

"And what extent does the military have authority here?"

"They have full authority. Captain Gloval has delegated city matters to us."

After that, the mayor and his people entered city hall. I decided to walk back to my apartment. There was still much construction going on. The threat of starvation did not seem looming.

Then I heard a crash. I looked and saw there was a hole in the street. I ran to the site.

I looked down and there were two people down there. Soon the construction crew was lifting them up. Some of them were taking pictures. I saw the two people, a boy and a girl. They were put into an ambulance and they were taken to a hospital.

ooooooooooo

I sat in front of a computer in the city hall. The mayor allowed me to use the computer to write the articles. One was the article about the dedication of Macross City. The other article was the recovery of the two people who were believed to be killed. The hospital, which was still under construction, revealed their names as Rick Hunter and Lin Minmei.

I finished the article and saved it to a floppy disk. I was lucky I had access to a working personal computer. I then printed out thirty copies of the article. I signed weach article with my name and the name of my employer.

At last, I said. I am now reporting again. 


	4. First Date in Space

The next day, I was passing out the Associated Press newsletter that I had published. There were only two articles- the dedication of the Macross City Hall, and the rescue of Rick Hunter and Lin Minmei. It only took me a few minutes for me to pass out all the copies I had. I wondered if I should go back to City Hall and ask Mayor Luan if I could use the office to print more newsletters. But then I decided to follow-up on the rescue. I could still see the hole in the street being cordoned off, and the Public Works Department was still trying to fix the hole. 

The city had published a telephone directory. I looked for any reference to Lin Minmei or Rick Hunter, but they were unlisted. There was a listing for the Lin family. I dialed the number.

"Hello?" asked a male voice.

I introduced myself. "I'm a reporter for the Associated Press," I said. "I'm looking for a Lin Minmei."

"I'm her uncle," said the man on the line. "What do you want?"

"I want to ask her a few questions about what she's been through."

"I'll let you talk to her."

oooooooo

Minutes later, I was at this building with this strange-looking door. It looked familiar, and then I remembered that I ate here the eve of the launch. Apparently the restaurant survived intact. I guess they would not be open for business though; it is awfully difficult to make Chinese cuisine with the ration bars the SDF-1 Macross crew was providing to us.

I went inside the restaurant and saw the empty tables and the scrolls with Chinese writing on it. This middle aged man came to greet me.

"Lin Max," he said, extending his hand. I shook it. "Minmei's uncle. She's in her room. I'll take you upstairs."

Max led me up a stairway and into a hallway. It looked like the hallway of a typical two-story house. I noticed the seams which indicated the building was torn apart and then reassembled inside the belly of SDF-1.

"Minmei," said Max, knocking on the door. "There's someone here to see you."

Minmei- a girl with black hair- came out. "What do you want?" she asked.

I introduced myself. "I'm a reporter with the Associated Press," I said. "I'd like to ask you a few questions about your recent recovery."

"Like what?"

"How did you get trapped under the ship?"

"It's a long story." Max and I followed Minmei into the bedroom. "Well, it all started when I saw this huge orange robot outside my window. Then the pilot came out and that was when I first met Rick."

"You mean the boy you were with?"

"Yeah. Anyway, he didn't know how to use it. He even damaged my room when he fell over. You can see the damage."

I looked at the ceiling and I noticed a seam. "Go on," I said, taking notes.

"Then this plane flew in and it turned into a robot. It was painted white and it had this skull painted on it. Anyway, the guy in that robot taught Rick how to fly those things. Then these other robots came. One of them almost stepped on me. Then Rick came in his airplane, and he took me for a ride. I even fell out once. The plane was damaged, so that other plane picked us up and flew us into this ship."

"How did you get stuck below the main deck?"

"Rick flew me in his own plane back to the island. Then there was this light and then we were in outer space. Rick flew us into a hole in the ship. We kept looking around, but no one was there. We spent two weeks down there, and if it weren;t for that accident, we would have starved to death."

I could understand how this young lady felt. After all, just a few days ago I was wondering how everyone on board the ship will be fed.

"Who's that?' asked a male voice that did not belong to Minmei's uncle. I looked and saw a boy with black hair.

I introduced myself and we shook hands.

"I'm Rick Hunter," said the boy. "I guess you're here to talk about me being trapped below the deck with her."

"Yes," I said.

"I flew in to the island to pay a visit to my friend Roy Fokker. He's a commander in the Army."

"The Spacy," I corrected him.

"Whatever. Anyway, I paid him a visit, one thing led to another and I found myself in this ship."

"You said you flew in. You were not from Macross City."

"That's right."

"Neither am I. I'm from New York; I flew in to cover the launch of the SDF-1. There's a lot of us here who weren't living in Macross City when it was taken to outer space. your friend Minmei told me you flew one of those fighters."

"I did. They're called veritechs. How was it like in the shelter?"

"I never went into the shelter. Like Minmei here, a pilot in one of those veritechs picked me up and brought me to the ship. Of course, she was military, and we didn't end up trapped below decks."

"I see."

"Anything else you want to say?"

"Not really. I'm just here to catch the ride back to Earth."

"Rick's not the talkative sort," said Minmei.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Hunter."

"Uh, okay," replied Rick Hunter. I walked a few steps to the stairs leading outside. "you know, maybe you should write your own experiences into a story."

"Why not?" I asked. I then left the restaurant.

oooooooooooo

The next day, I was passing out a newsletter. The cover article was my own personal experience as to how I got on board SDF-1. After I finished writing my article, I was inudnated by requests from people around the street. Some of them even offered their rations for my newsletter. I went to City Hall and printed out more and more newsletters.

Then someone wanted tio talk to me. I turned and saw a Spacy policeman.

"I'm out of copies," I said. "I can go to City Hall; they are letting me use their equipment."

"We have some copies of your newsletter," said the policeman. "Come with me."

oooooooooo

I was escorted out of the city and throuhg the SDF-1 corrdiors. I was taken into an office. It was a small office, with a desk and file cabinets and a personal computer. Behind the desk sat a woman with dark curly hair. The nameplate on the desk read LT. C. LASALLE (1)

"I'm Lieutenant LaSalle," she said. "I'm the provost marshal for this Robotech ship."

"Nice to meet you," I said. "Do you want an interview, madam?"

"No, I do not want an interview. Listen up, I read your story."

"It's all true, believe it or not. although a whole city living inside a huge alien spaceship is hard to believe."

"You mentioned a giant alien," said LaSalle, holding a copy of my newsletter close to her face.

"Yes, I saw its ship crash in front of my hotel. I then saw the fighter tha transformed into a suit of armor. That is where I met Jenna Murphy. She can cooroborate my story; I'm sure she can talk to you."

"The giant aliens are supposed to be secret," said the lieutenant. "No one except the top brass is supposed to know."

"Well, the aliens didn't keep themselves a secret."

"Listen up. You had better watch what you write. Otherwise, you won't be writing any newspapers at all."

"I see," I said.

"I'll have someone escort you back to Macross City," said Lieutenant LaSalle. "There's a chinese restaurant that's open. Why not write your next article on a review or something?"

So that was what I did.

ooooooooooo

On Lieutenant LaSalle's advice, I went to the Chinese restaurant. It was the same Chinese restaurant where that girl Lin Minmei lived. I decided to have a meal. After all, while the ration bars kept me alive, I was craving something else.

"Welcome to the first Chinese restaurant in space," said Lin Minmei as I approached the door.

I went inside and it was busy, unlike yesterday. The room was packed with people, both civilians and military. It looked like I would have to wait a while for a seat.

"Hey there," said Jenna Murphy, beckoning me to her.

"How are you doing, Jenna?" I asked.

"I decided to have lunch here instead of at the officer's mess. Sit with us."

So I sat with her and the other pilots around a circular table. They had already ordered Chinese food. I decided to have some chow fun. She introduced me to her wingmates.

"This is Lieutenants Hart, Taney, Ichijo, Reese, and Landry," she said. Hart and Taney were women; Ichijo, Reese, and Landry were men.

"I take it you're all Marines," I said.

"Our squadron was assigned to be the Marine air detachment to SDF-1," said Lieutenant Hart. "This was supposed to be a six-month tour of duty."

"I guess they misunderestimated the tour by half," said Ichijo (2). "Where are you from?"

"New York," I said.

"I'm from Hiroshima," said Lieutenant Ichijo. I just joined last year. These veritechs are amazing."

"So Jenna," I said, "What is it like?"

"Well, we get shifts from Colonel Beckett," she said. "We do stuff from directing maintenace to drilling in simulators to drilling in live exercises. Soemtimes we go out in patrol of the space around the vessel."

"How many in your squadron?" I asked.

"There's thirty of us," said Lieutenant Taney.

"So how long have you been a reporter?" asked Jenna.

"Two years," I said. "I've traveled the country and the world. I've been spending a lot of time out of New York. I guess my time here will be the longest deployment."

"When we get to communications range with Earth, you can talk to your family back home."

"you know," said Lieutenant Reese. "We attached an aircraft carrier to the ship."

"An aircraft carrier?' I asked.

"Yeah, the Prometheus was taken to space along with the island. Too bad everyone on board died when they lost atmosphere. We now luanch our fighters from its flight deck."

After a few minutes of eating, all of the Marine pilots got up.

"We have to go back to our post," said Jenna. "It was nice talking to you."

"I'll see you again," I said.

I left the restaurant and walked back to my apartment. I then heard an announcement over the public address system.

"There will be an important announcement for the citizens of Macross City," said the voice. "Lieutenant Commander Ward will brief you in the city plaza."

So that was where I went.

ooooooooo

The city plaza was a concrete plaza right across the street from City Hall. There was araised platform in the middle for speakers.

Lieutenant Commander Ward walked onto the stage, accompanied by Mayor Tommy Luan and some city officials and military people.

"Lieutenant Commander Ward has a very important message for us from Captain Gloval," said the mayor.

"Thank you, your Honor," said Commander Ward. "Citizens of Macross City; Captain Gloval has developed a new tactic. Because of the space fold that took us to Pluto, the main gun will not fire in the ship's current configuration. Because of this, we devloped a way for the ship to transform."

I took notes. "And this affects us how?" I said.

"The transformation will cause changes in the interior structure of the ship. We can not predict exactly how this will affect Macross City. Therre may be some damage. The SDF-1 Engineering Department worked with the Public Works Department to find sheltered areas where you can go in case we have to resort to modular transformation. We will distribute a brochure containing emergency routine details. We request your cooperation. We are in a warship, and the enemy that attacked us may try for round two."

"Who is the enemy?"

"We don't know yet."

"How long until we get back to Earth?"

"About twelve months."

A Spacy private handed out hundreds of copies of bulletins, and I picked one up. I wondered what was going on on Earth. Did the Global Civil War resume? And where were those giants from? Were they aliens or did some anti-UN faction create them? I would not get answers from anyone in the military, not even Jenna.

I looked at the bulletin. I saw that the nearest shelter to my apartment was the building it was in. I hoped that the Spacy was right about this.

I went home. By now my New York apartment would be rented out. I hope my family got all of my stuff and put it in storage. I sat in my apartment, which now had some old furniture recovered from the island. I wondered if years from now, someone will make an expedition to the island which is floating in space near Pluto.

Then the air raid siren blared. This must be a drill, I thought.

"I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!" yelled a female voice.

So the enemy has spaceships. As far as I knew, none of the anti-UN factions had spaceships.

These were aliens.

After a few minutes, I heard another announcement.

"WE ARE BEGINNING A MODULAR TRANSFORMATION. ALL CIVILIANS TO DESIGNATED SHELTERS!"

My apartment building was a designated shelter. I just hope it would be an effective shelter for whatever happened. I looked out the window and I saw police cars driving down the streets. Police officers were giving orders to the citizens, giuiding them to the designated shelters.

And then I saw the bulkheads move about. The ship is transforming. Parts of the city shifted up and down, and some of the builkdings were demolished.

And then it was over. "MODULAR TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE!" the voice said. I saw mabulances and fire trucks driving along the streets of the shattered city. I guess we have to rebuild again.

oooooooooo

I went to a press conference on the steps of City Hall. Much of the city was damaged due to the modular transformation. The mayor and his people were there on the steps, along with some military officers.

"Thanks to the crew of the SDF-1, we are safe," said Mayor Luan. "But our city was damaged in the process. The Public Works Department is working with SDF-1 Engineering to rebuild the city. And it will be rebuilt so it can survive the modular transformation with minimal damage."

oooooooo

I decided to volunteer for the clean up of Macross City. I got to meet some new people; I took notes of their various stories of how they came to be on board SDF-1. After a few hours of cleaning the rubble off the streets, the city looked cleaner already.

I went back to my apartment and I saw Jenna standing in front of the door.

"I just came to visit," she said. "I'm glad you're all right."

"I'm glad you're all right too," Isaid. "Did you have to fly out there?"

"Yes. It was a cruiser and some enemy fighters, but Knight Squadron was able to keep them at bay until Captain Gloval fired the big gun and blasted the enemy cruiser."

"So what does the ship look like from the outside?"

"It looks like a battloid," said Jenna. "At least your apartment's in one piece."

"It was the designated shelter for the transformation," I said.

"At least you'll have something to write about."

"What did the enemy cruiser look like?"

"It was green and shaped like a cigar. Listen, if the enemy attacks again, try watching from the observation deck. You'll have a better view."

"I'll keep that in mind. Do you have to go back to duty?"

"Not now," she said. "After I debriefed, we were relieved until tomorrow."

I opened the door and then dialed the number for the Chinese restaurant.

"Hello?" asked a female voice.

"Is your restaurant still open?"

"Why yes, it is."

I hung up the phone and then looked at Jenna. "How would you like dinner tonight at the restaurant. Just you and me."

"We just had a battle and now you want a date?"

"Why not? For someone like you, I think it'll be worth it. It's not like I have a girlfriend waiting for me in New York." I then wondered if Jenna has a boyfriend. He could be someone right here in Macross City.

"Okay then," said Jenna. "It's a date."

I took Jenna's hand and we left for the Chinese restaurant. "It just occured to me," said jenna. "This is the first time I went out on a date in outer space."

ooooooooooo

Author's Note: (1) (2) these names were taken from the original series.


	5. You Got It All

I pulished my story on the modular transformation, and it was a hit. almost everyone in Macross City wanted a copy of my article. Some offered me rations, clothing, food, and even sexual favors.

The city was reconstructed in a matter of weeks. some places where buildings once stood were now empty. Streets were rerouted. The mayor and the Spacy liaison officer both expressed confidence that future transformations won't cause as much damage.

The military began recruiting efforts among the citizens of Macross City. It was a crash course, as the new recruits had to become crewmen, marines, or pilots quickly due to the threat of alien attack.

In the meantime, Jenna Murphy and I started seeing each other. Fortunately, the enemy had not attacked since the transformation, so we started talking. One by one, we learned more about each other. By now, Macross City had alibrary, a school, coffeeshops. There was even a casino with a full bar.

One thing that disturbed me was the fact that the Lins' Chinese restaurant seemed to have a fresh supply of food. I was wondering where it came from. And I leanred the answer.

"We grow food in these hydroponic bays," says Dr. Ewing, a botanist who taught at Macross City College. "We receovered seeds from some of the warehouses on the island. Using bioengerring, we increased the growth rate."

And I saw the hydroponic c omplex, with the huge tanks filled with water, and the various crops growing inside them. "you can grow meat, right?" I asked.

"Not yet," said Dr. Ewing. "But at least we won't starve to death on the way to Earth."

"I'm glad for that." It seemed so long ago that I was worried about starvation.

The next day, I published my report on where we get our food.

ooooooooo

One day, a woman spoke to me with an interesting message.

"Are you that reporter?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. She appeared to be in her early thirties, with reddish brown hair. "And you are?"

"My name is Andrea Hawk LaBelle," she said. "My husband, Mark LaBelle, is a firefighter in the Macross Fire Department. We have one child and another one the way." (1)

"Another on the way?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm pregnant. I'm two months along. I guess we conceived during the reconstruction."

"So you're gonna have a baby in December, three months shy of our return to Earth."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you, sir. I'm going to be the first woman to have a baby in space."

"Congratulations, Mrs. LaBelle."

"Excuse me," said a male voice. "Are you that reporter?"

"Yup," I said. I introduced myself. "You having a baby too?"

"Uh, no. My name is Jake Austin. I'm the editor for the Macross Gazette. You're a really good reporter. We're going to restart the newspaper and we like your articles. We'll pay you top dollar for them."

"Thanks," I said. "But I work for the Associated Press, so you make your checks out to them. They pay me whether or not I sell stories. Of course, if my stories don't sell, I lose my job, so I should thank you for buying my stories."

"You know, we're gonna have TV soon. The city is going to install a cable network for a computer data net and television."

"You know. This woman here is going to have the first baby in outer space. I will seel the article on her baby's birth to you for a rrasonable price."

"Define reasonable."

ooooooooo

I covered the gradation ceremonies of the new recruits. Captain Henry J. Gloval himself addressed the newest members of the U.N. Spacy.

"Welcome," he said. "I am Captain Gloval, your commanding officer. You have all taken on a huge responsibility. Whether fixing things, operating the weapon batteries, keeping order, reviewing communications, or even flying our veritech fighters, you will be doing an important job to protect your neighbors on this ship. I have complete confidence in you. You will make valauible contributions to the SDF-1 and the United Nations Spacy."

The recruits tossed their hats up.

oooooooooo

Later on, I went to the Bright Star Casino. The casino was started by the old manager of the Macross Hyatt. There was no business for a hotel, as we do not get any visitors, but there are fifty thousand people available to gamble. Jenna and I sat at the casino's bar. The bartender, Vince, served us drinks. I got to know Vince over the past few weeks. He was a bartender before the launch of SDF-1, and he resumed his career after the transformation.

"Look at that," said Vince, a man with a shaven head. "New recruits."

"They just went through training and now they want to celebrate," said Jenna, who was wearing a yellow sweater and jeans instead of hwer Marine uniform. "You know, we're now having enlisted fly the veritechs."

"I know jack shit about the military," said Vince.

"I thought your sister was an officer on this ship," I said.

"She is," said the bartender. "But we never discuss her work. She is seeing someone though. He's a great guy. I only hope you two can have that kind of relationship."

"I don't know your sister and her boyfriend," I said. "I guess I'll have to take your word for it."

"I hope there isn't another enemy attack," said Jenna. "I've enjoyed the past few weeks."

"Maybe the enemy leaders called off the attack," said Vince. "We have ships back on Earth; maybe they whooped E.T.'s ass."

"You know, I will get the cover the birth of the first baby in space," I said. "I would never imagine all of this happening when I stepped on that plane back in JFK."

"JFK?" asked Vince.

"John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City," I said.

"Hey man, what will you do when you get home?"

"Go back home, visit my parents, and then submit my articles to my boss."

"Let's play some blackjack," said Jenna, pulling my arm.

ooooooooooo

And so I wrote more articles for the Macross Gazette. My articles had my name and identified me as a reporter from the Associated Press. I covered events such as festivals and city announcements and other stuff. It was a far cry from covering world events which I used to do. Local reporting did have its charm. I got a small office near City Hall, where I can write my stories and send it to whoever wants to publish them.

One morning I received a call in my office in the morning. It was Jenna.

"Hi there," she said.

"You must be on duty," I said. "I hope you don't get into trouble with your commander."

"He ordered me to call you. Meet me outside the squadron office."

So that was what I did.

oooooooooo

Minutes later, I was in this room with all sorts of equipment. Jenna was there with Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett and Major Dan Colmes.

"We want you to fly the veritech simulators and write a report on it," said Colonel Beckett.

"It's an honor, sir," I said. I was excited. Jenna flew these things every day, now I would get my chance.

"Major Colmes will be here with you," said Beckett. "Lieutenant Murphy, you will go back to your post."

"Yes, sir," she said to him. "Good luck," she said to me.

"Okay," said Major Colmes. "you step into one of these things." The things were cockpit-shaped capsules with cables running into them.

One of the capsules opened and I sat in the seat. There were lots of controls, not only for fighter but for the other two modes.

"Those levers change your mode," said Colmes. "F is for fighter, G is for guardian, and B is for battloid. Fighter is the fastest mode, guardian i sued to hover and provide air support, and battloid is for the ground. I will give you an open space training mission first."

And the canopy was closed over me. I placed the helmet on. Images appeared.

"The images of the enemy match the enemy we are fighting," said the major. "you are fully armed, fully fueled, and cleared for takeoff. The lever to your left is the throttle."

So I pushed the throttle forward, and I looked at the instruments. I did not appear to be flying.

"am I moving?" I asked.

"Check your instruments," said Colmes. "you can see your speed. you're in space and there are no local landmarks. It's all by instruments."

I saw the instruments, reading the speed and the attitude and all that shit. I saw three signals on the radar.

"Enemy fighters," said Colmes. "Take them."

And so I did. I turned the stick and pressed the pedals.

"One of them has got a lock on you! Evasive maneruvers!"

I turned the stick and pressed the pedals and even pushed the throttle. But then the mesage MISSION FAILURE appeared.

"The enemy blew your veritech up with a missile," said Colmes.

"i'm not exactly an ace pilot."

"let's try a different mission."

And so I did I tried various missions in space, the air, and the ground. Each time, I failed.

Finally it was over. Colonel Beckett came to greet me.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied. "I'll write an article. It will reflect well on your service."

"Thank you for your time."

I left the training room and headed for the city. I saw Jenna along the way.

"How'd you like it?" she asked.

"You do the flying," I said.

oooooooo

That night, I was closing up my small office.

"Hello," I said.

"It's me, Jenna," said my girlfriend. "Colonel Maistroff briefed us all. Tomorrow we go on a mission."

"A mission?" I asked.

"It's an offensive against the enem. They're still out there. We're gonna strike first. I'd like to see you before I go."

And so that was what she did.

oooooooooo

We didn't go out to the Bright Star Casino, even though the rest of her squadron went there. Instead, we went to the Lins' Chinese restaurant for some takeout.

"Two Chow Fun to go please" I said.

"Sure," said Lin Lena. We waited for the food and then Mrs. Lin gave us the takeput boxes. "Enjoy your meal."

We left the building as someone else entered. I turned and looked at the man who entered. He looked familiar

"I know that guy," I said.

"Never mind him," said Jenna. "I'm hungry."

We both walked back to my studio apartment.

"It's been two months since we started seeing each other," said Jenna. "I wish I could talk to my parents so I can tell them what a wonderful man you are."

"Me too," I said, washing the chow fun down with some soda.

"You know, there's going to be a beauty contest. It's called Miss Macross. I'm gonna sign up after I return from my mission."

"You're beautiful," I said, looking at her soft skin and her silky blond hair and the crystal blue eyes. "You're sure to win Miss Macross. You're beautiful and you're a fighter pilot."

We finished our food.

"How about we play a song?" asked Jenna. "I have a CD."

"Sure."

Jenna put a CD into the Sony CD player I had in my room. A tune started playing. "It's called You Got It all. It was sung by the Jets some time ago."

"I love some of that old school stuff."

And so the song played. Feelings within me started to intensify. I gazed into Jenna's blue eyes. The feelings soon became more powerful than the ship's main gun. I took her and kissed her. I touched her bare soft skin. We kept going and going and there was no stopping us. Not even a million enemy spaceships could get in our way.

ooooooooo

"OH SHIT!" yelled Jenna, waking me up. "I'M GONNA BE FUCKING LATE!" She ran for the door.

"You should put your clothes on first," I said.

"Oh." She picked up her clothes and put them on.

"Amazing how you can dress that fast," I said.

"They teach us that in the Marines," she said. "Remember, you have the best view of the battle in the observation deck."

"Okay," I said. I left my apartment and went to my office so I could transmit my articles to the Macross Gazette via the computer data net. Then I walked to the observation deck. I had been here before, gazing into space, looking at the Prometheus aircraft carrier attached to the shift. I once wrote an article on the ship's crew that died after the fold operation. I looked out and saw the planet Saturn, with its famous ring. I never been to Saturn before.

"ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS!" announced a female voice. "SKULL, WOLF, AND KNIGHT SQUADRONS REPORT TO PROMETHEUS."

I had a Sony digital video camera with me. I watched as the veritech fighters took off from the aircraft carrier. I saw the black-and-red Knight squadron VF-1 Valkyries take off and fly into Saturn's rings. I wonder which one Jenna was flying. I wanted to tape this battle to write an article on it.

I prayed to God that Jenna will make it back safely.

I soon saw the fireballs as our fighters engaged the enemy fighters. I could see the destruction of the craft on both sides.

"Hey mister, are you tape recording this?" asked a male voice.

I looked and saw two boys. One had blue-dyed hair and glasses, and his friend was huge with brown hair.

"Yeah," I said. "I'm a reporter from New York."

I then saw the enemy cruiser. It was green and shaped like a cigar, just as Jenna said. I loloked through the camera's viewer. I can see the fighters. I noticed one fighter- a white fighter with the Jolly Roger insignia on the tailfin- shred the enemy fighters to bits.

I then saw a black veritech fighter blow up. I dropped the camera.

"Jenna," I whispered. I hoped to God that wasn't her.

The enemy cruiser approached closer to SDF-1. It was firing on us. I saw these green shie;ds moving about, blocking the laser fire.

I then felt shaking. The enemy scored a hit on the ship.

The enemy ship approached, apparently seeking to fire point blank. Then I saw something else appropach the enemy ship.

It was Daedalus, the amphibirous landing ship that was brought to outer space and attached to SDF-1. It rammed into the enemy cruiser. Bulges appeared and I figured what was going on. The Marine destroid battalion must be blwoing the ship uo from the inside. I noticed a white veritech fighter coming out of the ship. Daedalus was withdrawn, and the enemy ship blew up.

"All right!" yelled the big teenage boy. "SDF-1 kicks alien ass!"

I shared his sentiment. But then I remembered the Knight Squadron fighter that blew, I hoped Jenna was alive.

ooooooooooo

Jenna came to my apartment after she got off duty. I had already finished the article on the Battle of Saturn, and I came home. Her wingmate Lieutenant Hart told me that Jenna came back alive and well.

When I opened the door, I gave her a kiss. "I'm glad you came back, I said. "I then noticed her etes were tearing."

"We lost Major Colmes," she said.

I remembered Major Colmes; he watched over me when I trained in the veritech simulator just yesterday. "I'm sorry." 


	6. Mars Mayhem

The Macross Gazette blared the headline "SDF-1 STRIKES BACK! ENEMY CRUISER DESTROYED IN SATURN'S RINGS" I wrote the front story, and the newspapaer paid the Associated Press top dollar for it. I mentioned how the Daedalus was used to destroy the enemy ship, and several Marine and Spacy pilots confirmed it. The top brass did not return my calls; they preferred to keep quiet on the manuever.

That morning, I went to the Knight Squadron Office to speak with Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett. I was not talking to him about the Daedalus Manuever, but about Major Dan Colmes.

"He was a fine XO," said the colonel. "He kept the pilots and the air crew in top shape. I visited his widow and four children to tell them the bad news."

"They lived in Macross City?" I asked.

"No, they flew in to say goodbye to daddy. The enemy attacked, and they found themselves on this ship. Listen, you shouldn't ask anyone else in my squadron about Major Colmes. We fighter pilots have a tradition of not mentioning the names of those in our squadron that we lost. And I know you don't want to get Lieutenant Murphy upset."

"Of course not," I said.

"I have work to do," said Beckett.

I left the office. Along the way I encoutnered Lieutenant Ichijo.

"Can I talk to Lieutenant Murphy?" I asked.

"She's training in the sims now," replied the lieutenant. "She gets off at 1700."

That evening, Jenna and I went to the Bright Star Casino. The ship transformed back into its regular mode at around noon, and the city remained intact after the transformation. We played slot machines and blackjack, and we ordered drinks from Vince the bartender. We enjoyed each other and we spoke to her friends Katie Taney and Lani Hart. But then, the war got in the way.

ooooooooooo

The enemy soon started attacking the SDF-1 constantly. I would often stand watch at the observation deck while Jenna went out to fight the enemy. Of course, this meant that Jenna did not have much time to spend with me.

I did speak to Andrea La Belle, who was pregnant. "I'm now six months along," she said. Six months. It had been six months since the launch of the SDF-1. We were about halfway home.

Jenna then got some leave. I could see she was worn out from the constant battle with the enemy.

"Don't ask me about the battles," she said. "the last thing I want to talk about is that veritech."

"I'm doing fine," I said. "I'm busy. I'm writing about more than the war. I cover sports and social events as well. Adn there's this Miss Macross thing coming up in two months. I heard this famous actress who was visiting the island is running for the competition. Her name is Jan something; I look up my notes when I go to work tomorrow."

"I might not live to compete."

"Don't say that." I loked into her battle-worn eyes. "We should enjoy the moment we have."

"You're right." She kissed me full on the lips. I looekd around the street at the passers-by. They all look familar, since there were no tourists coming in since the launch.

Then I saw him.

I looked into his eyes and he looked into mine. I searched my memory for where I saw him before.

"Oh shit," I said.

"What?' asked Jenna.

"I saw someone," I said. "When I attended the laucnh ceremony, I saw a scuffle. The Spacy police dragged him away. I saw a dynamite belt on him. He's a terrorist!"

I looked at the crowd, loking for the man who tried to bomb the festivities. I searched for a few minutes, but could not find him.

"Jenna, there's a terrorist on board SDF-1," I said. "We have to tell the authorities."

"Do you think he's gonna try to blow up the ship?" she asked. "I mean, we're in deep space and being attacked by aliens."

"I'm from New York. I know how these terrorists think. I lost an uncle to people like that eight years ago. I'm gonna file a police report."

And so I did.

oooooooooo

I went to the Macross City Police Headquarters, located in the City Hall's first floor.

"I have to tell you something," I said to the desk sergeant.

"What?" he asked.

"There's a terrorist on board. I'm a reporter from the Associated Press. When I was watching the launch ceremony, I saw the police drag away a guy wearing dynamite on his waist. He's tall and thin and has short black hair.

"What is going on?" asked a gruff male voice.

"This guy tells me that there's a terrorist on board," said the desk sergeant.

I looked at the man. He was in his late forties with salt-and-pepper hair. Four stars were pinned to the collar of his police uniform. I saw ther namtag BERNARD pinned to his left chest. I introduced myself.

"I'm Scott Bernard, Chief of the Macross City Police Department," he said.

"Chief, there's a terrorist on board. On the day the ship was launched, I was watching the festivities when I saw a scuffle. I looked and saw the Spacy police drag this man away. I looked closely and he was wearing dynamite. He was tall and thin with short black hair. I just saw him on the street minutes ago when I was walking with my girlfriend."

"Who is your girlfriend?" asked the chief.

"Lieutenant Jenna Murphy. She is in the veritech Knight squadron."

"Do you know the name of this alleged terrorist?"

"No, I don't. I remember what he looks like. If I see him, I'll know him. You have to find him, sir."

"Are you sure he will blow up the ship?"

"Yes. I think he's an Islamic terrorist. They operate by doing suicide attacks. I saw what they can do eight years ago. I'm from New York. We need to find him."

"I can talk to Lieutenant La Salle," said Bernard. "In the meantime, we'd like you to give a description to the sketch artist so she can draw a composite sketch of your terrorist."

"I will do that, Chief. Find him. he was willing to bomb the launch ceremony; he might bomb something else."

oooooooooo

One day, Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett visited my office.

"Hello, Colonel," I said. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm inviting you to come along with us on a mission. We are currently approaching Mars, and we will begin landing procedures in ten minutes. Have you ever been to Mars before?"

"This is my first space flight," I said. "Of course I'll go."

"You will ride in one of our veritechs. Lieutenant Murphy will be the pilot. Our mission is the retrieval of supplies from Sara Base."

"I thought Sara Base was destroyed."

"So did we."

"WE ARE NOW INITIATING LANDING PROCEDURES," says a female voice. "ALL CIVILIANS INDOORS; ALL HANDS TO STATIONS."

"I'd better stay here until we land on Mars," said Colonel Beckett.

And so he did.

ooooooooo

"WE HAVE NOW LANDED ON THE PLANET MARS," announced the same female voice. Colonel beckett and I immedaitely headed for the Knight Squadron office. He led me to the men's locker room. He opened a locker and gave me a flight suit.

"Put this on," he said. "it goes over waht you're wearing."

And he was right, I put the suit on and it went over my business suit. "good thing you have a suit to spare," I said.

"Captain Barnes was killed three days ago in battle," said the colonel. "You look his size."

Since the Prometheus hangar deck was unpressurized, we went into an airlock. I made sure I had enough air.

"I guess we'll fly together again," said Jenna, in her black-trimmed flight suit.

"So you're the reporter," said a male voice.

"You are?" i asked.

"Colonel Maistroff, commander of SDF-1's Marine detachment. I'm a qualified veritech pilot and I have my own VF-1S Valkyrie. this is a very important mission so I'll lead it myself."

"Commander Fokker of Skull Squadron is the only other person assigned that particular model," said Colonel Beckett.

The airlock opened into the hangar deck. I could see all sorts of veritech fighters- the tan-colored Spacy fighters, and the black Marine fighters of Knight Squadron. I noticed several veritechs of unusual color. Two of them were parked side-by-side. One was olive drab in color; the other was white with distinctive skull and crossbones on its tailfin.

An air crewman in a spacesuit pulled down the ladder for one of the veritechs.

"That's us," said Jenna, tugging my hand. We both climbed into the cockpit. I sat in the back, and Jenna sat in front.

"This is a VF-1D Valkyrie," said Jenna. "It's a two-seater used for training. I'm going through the pre-flight checklist. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," I said. I looked at the instruments and the engines are already running. I looked and saw the olive-drab veritech and the skull-and-crossbones veritech being lifted to the flight deck. Other veritechs were being lifted up after those two.

"Air Boss to Knight Ten," said a female voice. "Prepare for takeoff."

"Copy," said Jenna. she taxied the veritech to the lift and then we wernt up. "Don't touch the controls," she said to me.

Whern we reached the flight deck, I gazed upon the Martian landscape. I saw pocutures like these in books and newspapers. I never imagined I'd be here. I wondered if Ned felt the same way.

"All systems are go," said Jenna. "Knight Ten ready for takeoff."

"Takeoff," said the control officer.

I found myself pushed bac k against my seat. The Martian landscape disappeared and I knew we were flying in ther Martian air. After a few seconds of ascent, we acheived level flight.

"Knight Ten is in the air," said Jenna. "Setting course for Sara Base."

I could see other veritechs ahead of us in the distance. To my left and right I can see the Martian landscape. I can see the canyons and mountains. I remember once reading that the tallest mountain on mars is taller than the tallest mountain on Earth.

"We're at Sara Base," said Jenna. "We are reducing airspeed. Switching to guardian mode."

I looked to my right and I can see the arm holding the gunpod. I knew the legs were bent down. I could see Sara Base ahead. It was a cluster of buildings. It used to be a UN outpost, until some anti-UN faction attacked it. I thought the base was destroyed. Still, I wondered what happened to Ned and the others.

"Switching to battloid mode," said Jenna. The cockpit shield was raised and then the monitor went up. I could see the builkdings of Sara Base and the other veritechs in battloid mode. I noticed the skull-and-bones veritech and the olive-drab veritech. Both had identical-looking heads- four antennae, a trinagular face, and a crescent-shaped sensor.

"How are you doing, Knight Ten?" asked Colonel Maistroff.

"Fine, sir," replied Jenna.

"And the reporter?"

"Nice ride," I said.

"Here are the destroids," said Maistroff. I looked and saw the destroids- ground mecha operated by the Marines. They came in all sorts of shapes. One had hands like the veritech battloids, the others had cannon-arms, and there was this huge one with two cannon-arms and a wicked-looking cannon assembly on the head. They walked to various positions in Sara Base.

"Sara Base secure," said Colonel Maistroff. "You may send the salvage teams."

And then I saw land vehicles going into Sara Base, passing beneath us. I saw the Marine infantrymen get out of the vehicles and go inside the warehouses of the base. Soon they were loading supply crates.

"I like this," said Jenna. "After all that combat."

"This is SDF-1 Control," said a woman with curly-black hair whose image appeared on the comm screen. "Lieutenant Lisa Hayes is going into the base. She will be looking for survivors."

"My infantry reports they are just ten minutes away from finishing loading the supplies," said Colonel Maistroff.

"Maybe I should have brought a book," I said to Jenna.

A few minutes later, Colonel Maistroff said, "The Marines finished loading. The last of the supply trucks will reach the Daedalus in three minutes.

"Lieutenant Hayes is still inside the base," said SDF-1 Control. "Once we get her back, you will all return."

"Copy that," said Maistroff.

"Enemy forces detected!" yelled the control officer. "Get ready for battle."

"Here we go," said Jenna. "Brace yourself."

"We need to protect the supply trucks!" yelled Colonel Beckett. "Knight Squadron move out. Skull Squadron, stay here to protect Hayes."

"Copy that," said a male voice. "Skull Squadron protect Sara Base."

Jenna switched the veritech to guardian mode and we flew to the SDF-1. We could see the enemy pods racing towards it. We can also see the supply trucks trying to make it to Daedalus. Jenna and the others fired missiles at the enemy pods, obliterating them. We then landed on the ground and switched to battloid mode and shot the enemy pods with our guns.

"Supply trucks are safe," said Beckett. "Now we reinforce Skull Squadron."

We transformed into guardian and flew back to Sara Base. I could see the Skull Squadron veritechs and the destroids fighting the enemy pods and fighters. We fired a missile salvo at an enemy fighter formation. Then we changed into battloid and started brawling with the enemy pods. Missiles, laser beams, and bullets flew every which way. I saw more and more enemy pods and fighters fall before Jenna. It was like my being in the veritech with her made her a better fighter. We transformed every couple of seconds to deal with new threats from our relentless foes. Jenna was adept at using the buildings of Sara Base as cover to hide from the enemy pods until she can get a clear shot.

Then we suddenly found ourselves in front of an enemy pod, ready to fire. Then it blew up, but Jenna did not fire the gunpod. I then saw the skull-and-crossbones veritech flying in in guardian mode. It switched to battloid mode.

"Stay alert, marine," the veritech's pilot said.

We took cover behind a building and fired on the enemy pods from a distance. I could see the olive-drab battloid shredding the enemy pods. Then it transformed to a fighter and it blew up three enemy fighters.

As Jenna was fighting with the enemy pods, I could see a white veritech guardian flying in and blowing up a bunch of pods with its missiles. It then stopped right at a building. I saw it punch through a window.

I also saw an enemy pod with a missile battery on top.

"Jenna!" I yelled. "Shoot that battlepod to the right."

The battlepod fired missiles at the veritech guardian, whose pilot was unaware of the threat. But Jenna fired her gunpod at the enemy pod's direction, blowing up the missiles and the enemy pod. The veritech guardian flew up into the sky. I could see it was holding something.

"Lieutenant Hayes is secure!" yelled Colonel Beckett. "Move out!"

Jenna transformed the veritech to fighter mode and we flew high into the sky. I looked below, and I saw Sara Base consumed by a fireball. Soon the red sky was replaced by a starry spacescape.

We waited in orbit until the SDF-1 reached Martian orbit. Then we were cleared for landing.

I braced myself as the veritech fighter made contact with Promotheus.

"Knight Ten has landed," said Jenna.

We got out of the fighter, went through the airlock, and took off our helmets.

"Well, I have to debrief," said Jenna, going into the women's locker room.

"See you tonight," I said. I then went baxk to my office to write my article.

ooooooooo

Jenna joined me at the Bright Star Casino. The casino was packed with the noises of the slot machines and the clinking of coins. We approached the bar and ordered two screwdrivers from Vince.

"Lieutenant Jenna Murphy," a male voice said.

We looked and saw a man in a Spacy uniform.

"Yes, sir?" asked Jenna.

"Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker of Skull Squadron," said the Spacy officer. "I was reviewing the battle record after the incident on Sars Base. You see, Lieutenant Lisa Hayes entered the base to look for survivors. But the enemy laid a trap and SDF-1 couldn't lift off. So Hayes set the reflex furnace to blow."

"So that was why the base blew up," said Jenna.

"But she was trapped in there, so I sent Sergeant Rick Hunter to get her out. He got her out, saving her life."

"Hunter deserves a medal," I said.

"But I noticed that while Hunter was getting Hayes out of the base, a battlepod was about to fire on them. Neither of them saw the pod. It was you, Lieutenant Murphy, who destroyed the battlepod. You saved their lives."

"Well, sir, I didn't see the battlepod either. But he did."

"You?" the commander asked me..

"I was riding in the back seat for an article," I said. "I saw the veritech land next to the building, then I saw the pod. I told Jenna to shoot it."

Commander Fokker sat at the bar. "Vince, I'm paying for their drinks!" he says.

"Okay, Roy," replied Vince.

And so he did. 


	7. Life's a Miracle

After our departure from Mars, the enemy continued its attacks on our ship. Jenna was called away into action a lot. Whenever I spoke to her on the phone, she would sound tired and worn out. In the intervening days, Knight Squadron lost three more people. They are good, but the enemy is just too persistent. Every time I watch the battles from the observation deck, I wonder if Jenna's number would come up.

On one night, Jenna and I decided to go out to the Bright Star Casino. We haven't had a date since leaving Mars. She wanted to relax, and I knew why fighter pilot needs to relax.

We played some of the slot machines and several hands of blackjack. I won sixty dollars in blackjack. Jenna spent a lot of money, money that she earned from basic pay plus flight pay plus hazardous duty pay. She mentioned that at this rate, she's be a millionaire- if she doesn't get blown to pieces.

We both ordered beer from Vince. He asked Jenna how it was going, and Jenna said she was tired and streesed out from all the combat. The television was showing images, and it was not from DVD's. The Macross Broadcasting System went online today. Now Macross City had a television station where people can watch news and sports and TV shows.

"Excuse me, are you Jenna Murphy?" asked a male voice.

We turned to see a young man dressed in a Spacy uniform. I recognized him.

"You're Rick Hunter," I said. "You're the guy that was below decks for two weeks."

"That's me. Anyway, I want to talk to Jenna Murphy."

"For what?" asked Jenna.

"Roy told me what you did back on Mars. I want to thank you. Lisa and I would have been killed."

"You're welcome. You should thank my boyfriend too. He saw that battle pod that was gonna shoot you."

"Thank you," Rick said to me.

"You're welcome," I said. We shook hands.

"I'd better get some sleep. Minmei's birthday's tomorrow."

And then he left the casino.

ooooooooooooo

The next morning, Jenna called me and told me she felt fantastic. She said that she could take on an entire enemy fleet by herself. I was happy that she was in a good mood. I went to my office. As usual, I looked over the stories I was working on. There was a press conference in City Hall and a basketball game at Macross High School.

I received a fax in the afternoon from Commander Ward's office. It contained a list of medals and awards to military personnel. I saw that Rick Hunter received the titanium medal of valor that day for his actions on Mars.

If Hunter got a medal, then Jenna deserves one too. She shot the enemy pod that was aiming at him.

At the end of the day, I was closing up shop. Jenna knocked on the door of my office.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I'm gonna be a contestant on the Miss Macross competition in December," she said.

"Congratulations!"

"I'll be one of twenty-eight contestants," she said.

"Will you even be able to attend?" I asked. "I mean, the enemy might attack."

"Colonel Maistroff himself told me that I would not be on duty that day. I'm the only Marine who's a contestant and he figured it would get some good publicity. I could even pose for recruitment posters or something."

"Jenna Murphy, Miss Macross. I like the sound of that. Let's go celebrate at the Chinese restaurant."

And so we went there.

ooooooooo

When we got there, we were greeted by a sign that read, "PRIVATE PARTY- SORRY WE'RE CLOSED."

"This is closed?" asked Jenna.

"Yup," said the doorman. "Minmei's having her sixteenth birthday. She's the owner's niece."

"That figures," I said. "Jenna, let's go get some Italian food."

So that was what we did.

oooooooo

We ordered spaghetti with marinara sauce. The sauce was meatless, as we did not bring cows or chickens with us when we went to Pluto. The place was quiet, and it was just the two of us. I hoped we can spend the night together.

But then the siren blared, and the announcer called for all veritech pilots. That included Jenna.

"Got to go," said Jenna. "I'll go to your apartment after this is over."

I saw her run off. I headed for the observation deck to watch the battle.

Looking at the stars, I saw explosions as the veritech fighters took on the enemy's fighters and pods. Missiles and laser beams flew every which way. Occasionally, I would feel jolts as enemy fire hit the ship.

I saw one particular veritech, painted blue and in battloid mode, ripping apart the enemy pods. That guy was good. I made sure to videotape it.

The enemy pods got closer and closer to the ship. I could tell that some of them were right on top. The battle waged on and on. And then it stopped. The enemy pods and fighters flew back to where they came from. We beat them again. I just wish I knew how many more of them are out there.

the all-clear signal was sounded, and I went back to my apartment. I wrote an article on the battle, about how the brave defenders of SDF-1 successfully repelled another alien attack. I heard a knock on my door.

When I opened it, Jenna was not there. A brown-haired woman in uniform stood there instead. She was Lieutenant Lani Hart.

"Hi," I said. "What's up? Is Jenna asleep?"

"Jenna's veritech was hit in combat. She was taken to the hospital."

"Is she still alive?" I asked.

"Katie's at the hospital. No visitors are allowed to her room. Last I heard she was alive."

I bolted out of my apartment, my feet running the rest of me to the hospital as fast as they can go.

oooooooo

I woke up the next morning, and I was not in my apartment. I was in a hospital lobby. I saw Lani and Katie, Jenna's wingmates, also sleeping. A nurse entered the lobby.

"Is Jenna Murphy all right?" I asked.

"She's still alive and in intensive care," said the nurse. "Right now there's nothing you can do."

It's not fair! She was lying in the hospital injured and there was nothing I can do! I stormed out of the hospital, frustrated. I dreaded the moment that Katie or Lani would tell me, with tears flowing down their eyes, that Jenna was dead.

Even while working, I could not stop thinking of Jenna being in the hospital. She wanted to participate in the Miss Macross competition. But she might not even survive to that day. At evenings I would go to the Bright Star Casino, gamble some money, and have drinks at Vince's bar.

One evening I was sitting at the bar drunk.

"Hi Vince," a female voice said. "What's wrong with him?"

"He was dating a veritech pilot. She was injured in battle a few days ago and she's in a coma in the hospital."

"How sad. I can't imagine what I'd feel if something were to happen to Roy."

"Maybe he needs a woman to talk to him."

"Hi there," she said to me.

I looked at her, a woman in a green uniform with curly black hair. I introduced myself.

"I'm Claudia," she said. "Vince told me about what happened with your girlfriend."

"She's in the hospital," I said.

"Yoiu should be grateful she's alive."

"I don't know if she'll recover," I said.

"Maybe you should visit her."

"You mean right now?"

"Right now would be the best time. I have a car; I'll drive you there."

oooooooooooo

Claudia was nice enough to drive me to the hospital. I went in to the intensive care unit. I saw Jenna in bed, with all sorts of tubes and wires sticking into her. I was careful not to touch her. I just wish I could reach out to her.

I fell asleep. Images, sounds, smells, and tastes went through my dreams.

I was in Jenna's veritech, with her flying it. We were in space, in combat with the enemy.

"Oh no!" she yelled. "Three thousand enemy missiles are heading for us."

"The enemy launched three thousand missiles at one veritech fighter?" I asked. "That's insane."

Then the missiles hit and we were blown apart. Strangely, I continued to live. I saw body parts- our body parts.

Then I was back in Macross City. It was still on its island in the Pacific Ocean, with the SDF-1 proudly in the center, Then colored lights filled the place, and the island and I were in deep space. There was only light and cold. In the place where the SDF-1 once stood, I saw a huge monument with letters carved into it.

JENNA MURPHY - DEAD AND NEVER COMING BACK

I heard Jenna call out my name.

I was back in the hospital intensive care ward. I saw Jenna lying down. her eyes were open.

And she was saying my name.

"Jenna, you're awake," I said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a hundred enemy pods stomped on my head," she said. She smiled.

And I smiled too.

oooooooooo

I visited Jenna frequently in the hospital, as did her wingmates. I would often play card games with her.

One day, Colonel Maistroff entered the room. He was accompanied by a doctor.

"I have good news," said the colonel. "Doctor, if you will."

"You can go back to duty," said the doctor. "We've reviewed the test results and you should be able to perform your duties."

"And I will deliver the other news," said Maistroff. "You have been awarded the titanium medal of valor."

"I am honored, sir," said Jenna, holding the medal.

"If that Hunter kid gets a medal for saving Lieutenant Hayes, I figure you should get one for saving them both."

"Congratulations," I said to her. "We should go celebrate your recovery and your medal."

"The baby's coming," said someone passing through the adjacent hallway.

The baby? I know of only one person who is having a baby. I ran outside to find the maternity ward. After a few minutes,. I reached the maternity ward. I saw a bunch of doctors in a room.

"Push!" yelled a doctor. "It's a boy."

I looked and saw Andrea La Belle holding a baby boy.

"Congratulations," said the doctor. "The first baby born in space. What's his name?"

"Glenn," said Andrea. "Glenn with two n's. Glenn Harold La Belle."

Jenna and I looked at the baby Glenn. History was made in this room in this hospital in this spaceship millions of miles from Earth. 


	8. Miss Knight Squadron

IT'S A BOY! FIRST BABY BORN IN SPACE

That was the headline the next day. Glenn La Belle became an instant celebrity the day he was born. After all these battles, the people of Macross City were excited about this. I took great pleasure in writing the article. Mark and Andrea, the baby's parents, gave statements to me about their experiences leading to the birth of the newest addition to their family. This news, along with Jenna's recovery, put me in the best mood since my arrival to Macross City ten months ago. I wondered if I would get to cover the first wedding in space. The Macross Gazette did not publish any wedding announcements. Then again, we are only three months from Earth and surely any engaged couples who found themselves on SDF-1 Macross would wait until reaching Earth so they can invite friends and family.

Over the next few days, there was a lull in the fighting. The enemy had not come to attack us since we sent them fleeing last month. I was glad for that, as I got to spend more time with Jenna. I got to know her more about two friends, Lani and Katie. Unlike Jenna, they were both from Earth. Lani was rooming with Jenna; she must sleep in that second bed I saw when I first set foot in Jenna's quarters. They spent a lot of time together, and they made sure to spend every Friday evening together. I got her for the rest of the week. I thought about my friends back in New York. Do they even know that I am alive? And what of my parents and brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and nephews and nieces?

But soon Jenna would find herself in another battle. It would not be a battle with enemy fighters and pods.

It was the Miss Macross Contest.

From what I heard from interviews with contest officials, the Miss Macross Contest was held every year since the founding of Macross City nine years ago. This would be the first time Miss Macross was held in space. Captain Henry J. Gloval, the commander of the SDF-1's crew, will be one of the judges.

I got to do an interview with one of the contestants, a woman with curly blond hair who appeared to be slightly older than me and Jenna. She was Jan Morris, and she was a famous movie star. She flew in from Los Angeles, California to participate in the SDF-1 launch ceremonies.

"So, Miss Morris, how do you feel to be a contestant in the first beauty contest in outer space?" I asked her as we sat down on a table in the Variation Tea and Coffee Shop.

"I'm really excited," she said. "I'm making history here."

"Do you think you will win?" I asked.

"I know I will win, baby," she said. "This is going to make me a huge star once we get to Earth."

"We're only three months from Earth," I said.

"I will surely get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame," said Morris.

"By the way, Miss Morris, what was it like the day we launched?"

"Well, I had my own hospitality suite on the base where the ship would take off. It was me and some other stars. Then there was this air raid siren. Soon, the buses were taking us to the shelters in the hills. We stayed there. There was this light. Then gravity disappeared. These guys in spacesuits came, and they drove us to the ship in these sealed cars."

"Thank you for your time, Miss Morris," I said. I stood up and extended my hand to her.

oooooooooo

I saw Jenna on the sidewalk near the Lins' Chinese restaurant the evening before the Miss Macross competition. Seh was in her yellow sweater and blue jeans.

"Tomorrow's the big day," I said.

"Don't remind me," said Jenna. "I can't stay out tonight. I need to sleep. I never competed in a beauty contest, but I doubt having a hangover and bloodshot eyes are gonna help."

"Maybe we can eat out," I said.

"I'll just get take out from that Chinese restaurant over there. I heard that Minmei is gonna be in the contest too."

"Who?" I asked, not remembering the name at the time.

"The owner's niece. They had that birthday party for her at the restaurant, the night that I was injured and ended up in the hopsital for a couple of weeks."

"I remember," I said, thinking back to the time when I thought Jenna was going to die. "I hope you don't get called back on duty."

"I'm officially on special assignment from Colonel Maistroff himself," said Jenna. "Colonel Beckett can't order me to duty if there were a million enemy fighters attacking us. Well, I'd better go get some food. I'll be at the amphitheater tomorrow, okay?"

I kissed Jenna. When she went into the Chinese restaurant, I went to my apartment.

oooooooooo

The next morning, I had breakfast in my apartment. I went to work and submitted my articles to the Macross Gazette. I reviewed the past ten months of articles I wrote since we began our journey. I would definitely receive a Pulitzer Prize upon returning home.

The Miss Macross Contest would start at 7:00 tonight. I had to be there at 5:00. The contest officials gave me a press pass and it had arrived by mail yesterday.

Along the way, I ran into Lani Hart and Katie Taney.

"Hi there," said Lani.

"I'm going to be covering the Miss Macross Contest," I said. "I have an exclusive interview with whoever wins."

"If Jenna wins, it'll be a short interview," said Katie. "The entire squadron's gonna be there to cheer her on."

"We made this banner," said Lani. She and her friend held upo this huge banner written with crayon.

I read it aloud. "We heart u Jenna," I said.

"Let's just hope the enemy doesn't attack," said Katie. She and Lani leave.

I continued to the amphitheater. It had been under construction since the first modular transformation nine months ago. It will be first opened to the public for the Miss Macross Contest.

I went into a small buiding that was marked as the amphitherater's service entrance. There was a security guard at the entrance. I showed him my press pass.

"Come on in," said the security guard.

And so I did. I pressed a button for the elevator and went down. the doors opened, and I was in a hallway. There was a directory for offices. I walked along the hallway and entered one of the offices.

"Hello there," said a man in a suit, extending his hand. "Welcome to the Macross Amphitheater."

"I'm a reporter for the Associated Press," i said, holding my press pass. "I'd like to speak to the judges and contestants. Are they here?"

"Some of them are getting their makeup done. You can go anywhere except the women's dressing room."

"Okay, then."

I left the office and walked along the carpeted hallway. From the looks of this place, I could forget that I was on a spaceship.

Then Jenna called out my name.

"Jenna," I said. She was dressed in a skirt and a white blouse, and she had a bag full of clothes.

"I need to get my makeup done," she said. "I have this killer swimsuit. Well, you'll see when the swimsuit competition is on. See you at the contest."

she went to the makeup room.

I then heard shouting. I ran to this room where there were a lot of mirrors with light bulbs framing them.

"MUST YOU TAKE SO LONG?" a loud voice asked.

"Patience, Captain," said a makeup artist. "We want you to present your good side, after all."

I looked and saw a man with black hair sitting before a makeup mirror. He was wearing a Spacy dress uniform.

That was Captain Henry J. Gloval.

"Excuse me, Captain Gloval," I said. "Do you have time for an interview?"

The captain looked at me, revealing his black moustache. "With the time these people are taking, you could have ten interviews."

"How do you feel about being a judge at this competition?" I asked.

"I'd rather be fighting enemy pods with my bare hands," he said.

"Is there any contestant you like?"

"I'll have to see them first."

"Do you have high expectations of this contest?"

"It will boost the morale of my crew. We worked very hard in defending this ship from our enemies, whoever they are."

"Thank you, sir."

I walked out to the makeup room where the contestants were having their hair and makeup done. I saw Jenna among the twenty-eight of them. I walked around and asked questions of the contestants, taking notes.

oooooooooo

I sat in the press box and I saw the audience file in. They came in like a swarm. Some people in the audience were holding signs cheering for their favorite contestant. I looked and I saw a sign reading WE (Heart) U JENNA. That must be Lani and Katie and the others of Knight Squadron.

The announcer came in to formal;ly announce the beginning of the Miss Macross Contest. I and the other print reporters took notes, while television cameras for the Macross Broadcasting System filmed the event live. Boy, wouldn't Mr. Chegwidden and Quinn and the others in my office like this. The announcer mentioned that the prize was a fanjet buolt right here in Macross City.

Then the contestants were introduced, one by one. Their names and hometowns were announced.

"Contestant Number Eleven, Miss Jenna Murphy!" said the announcer.

And then I saw Jenna, in this stunning black dress with a red trim. It was colored just like her veritech. She gave this bright smile that was contagious.

"Jenna was born in Cork, Ireland, and her family moved to the Apollo Colony on the moon during the Global Civil War. She is one of our Robotech defenders, flying the veritech fighters to protect us from our enemies."

I looekd and saw Jenna's squadron cheering.

"Miss Murphy, what do you like about being a veritech pilot?" asked the announcer.

"I just want to protect you from the enemy," she said.

"What do you like to do?"

"Seeing movies, eating out, having drinks, gambling."

"Contestant Number Twelve, Miss Lin Minmei," said the announcer. I looked at the stage and started taking notes.

ooooooo

"and now, the swimsuit competition," said the announcer. Once again, the same twenty-eight contestants came forward in their swimsuits. I waited for Jenna, who is contestant number 11.

"Contestant Number Eleven, Jenna Murphy," said the announcer.

And there she appeared in a black two piece bikini. The bikini's color contrasted vividly against her skin, which I coul;d see a lot of. She looked like a jewel or something. I took a whole page just to write down notes. I could hear very loud cheering and catcalls, and that was definitely coming from Knight Squadron.

Then Jenna exited the stage and I watched her until she disappeared. The next contestant, the teenage girl Minmei, had a one piece suit which obstructed everything except her head, arms, and legs. There was little cheering. I could understand why. After what Jenna wore, a schoolgirl in a one piece does not cut it.

The contestants continued until it eneded with the actress Jan Morris. The judges would then select the five finalists, who would then be selected by the people of Macross City.

After a short break, the five finalists were announced. I listened to each name intently one by one.

When the fifth name was announced, I was a little disappointed. Jenna would not be a finalist. I looked and saw the five finalists, including Jan Morris and the girl with the one-piece swimsuit.

Jenna joined me in the press box, wearing a bathrobe over her swimsuit. "Well, at least I was there," she said.

"I liked you," I replied.

"This whole thjing was probably a publicity stunt for Jan Morris. She probably paid them."

"They're about to announce the winner."

"Lin Minmei!" said the announcer.

And then Minmei stood up. A robe was placed upon her body, and a gold crown was placed on her head. Photographers took pictures. She smiled and waved.

I saw Jenna smiling. "I should congratulate her," she said. "Any girl that can beat Jan Morris in a beauty contest while without showing a lot of skin deserves my respect."

ooooooooooo

After the audience left, I went backstage to do my interview with Miss Macross, who turned out to be Lin Minmei.

"How does it feel to be Miss Macross?" I asked.

"It was my dream come true," she said. "I always wanted to be a star, you know. I want to start a record. Maybe I can hire an agent once we return to Earth."

"Thank you for your interview."

"Why don't you report on my career? I'm sure you can win an award or something. I read about how you wrote that story on that baby born a few days ago."

"Glenn La Belle," I said. "here is my card." I handed Minmei my card.

"Thank you."

ooooooooo

We later celebrated at the Bright Star Casino. We had a round of drinks at the bar.

"You know, that Minmei girl is cute and all," said Vince the bartender. "But you got my vote."

"Thanks, Vince," said Jenna.

"That was a really hot swimsuit you had," said Lieutenant Ichijo.

"Yeah, I certinaly wouldn't want to be the guy wearing tight pants," said Lieutenant Landry.

"At least you have the titanium medal of valor," said Lieutenant Wolfe. "Can't win every battle."

"Hey guys," I said. "I want to propose a toast to Jenna Murphy."

"To Jenna Murphy, Miss Knight Squadron!" yells Lani Hart.

And we toasted our beers.

"Congratulations, Marine," said Colonel Maistroff who stood near our table. "You showed grace under pressure."

"Thank you, sir," replied Jenna. "May I have another medal?"

oooooooooo

Christmas was not long after the Miss Macross Contest. The fighter pilots on board SDF-1 Macross were going to have their own Christmas Party in one of the ball rooms. I was Jenna's date.

All of the fighter pilots who were not on duty were here. They were all dressed in their dinner dress uniforms. A few civilians were here, the dates of the fighter pilots. Punch and champagne were served, and there was a Christmas tree with decorations and lights. This was my first Christmas in space.

"You know, this was not my first Christmas in space," said Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett. "Two years ago I spent Christmas on board an ARMD ship."

"I wonder if my parents know I'm alive," I said. "The SDF-1 must have sent transmissions."

"The fucking enemy keeps blocking our transmissions," said Lieutenant Wolfe.

"Maybe you should mingle around," said Jenna. "Skull Squadron is here."

Then almost everyone in the room crowded to the entrance. I wondered what was happening.

And then I saw Miss Macross standing at the door to the room. She was accompanied by a young man in a Spacy dress uniform.

"She sure is popular," I said.

"So you're girlfriend's doing fine," said this woman with short curly black hair wearing a green uniform.

"Uh, yeah," I said.

"you don't remember me. you must have been drunk. I'm Claudia. The lady that drove you to the hospital."

"Oh," i said, now recognizing her. "Thank you."

"You are such a sweet person, Claudia," said Jenna. "I'm First Lieutenant Jenna Murphy, UN Space Marines."

"Lieutenant Claudia Grant, UN Spacy," said Claudia. "I'm Commander Fokker's date."

"Hello," said this blond-haired man. He was Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker of Skull Squadron. He was the one who told Jenna she saved one of his pilots.

Everyone else was asking for Minmei's autograph or something.

"Hi, Minmei," said Jenna. "I was one of the contestants at the Miss Macross Contest."

"I remember you," she said. "You came before me. This is Rick Hunter."

"We've met," said Rick.

"Lieutenant Jenna Murphy and her date saved Rick's life back on Mars," said Commander Fokker.

"That's right," said Rick Hunter.

"Thank you both," said Minmei. "When I get my singing career started, I'll dedicate a song just for you."

ooooooooo

After the party was over, Jenna and I went to our apartment. There was one gift we had for each other that we wanted to unwrap.

Each other. 


	9. Jihad in Space

There were no enemy attacks since the one where Jenna had been injured. It was New Year's Eve, and we were about to ring in the New Year. I never celebrated New Year's in space before, although many of the SDF-1 crew had. The party was in the streets, watched over by police officers. I swear that at least fifty thousand were here. I saw Lin Minmei, who was Miss Macross, on the stage.

"Hello everyone," she said. "I am Lin Minmei, the reigning Miss Macross. This year was probably the most life-changing year of our lives. We now say goodbye to the old year and those we left behind as we look forward to a bright new future."

I was with Jenna and her wingmates from Knight Squadron. I noticed most of the SDF-1 crew was here, dressed in their neatly-pressed uniforms. I looked at the clock. It was 11:59.

"Five Four Three Two One," we all shouted. Then midnight hit. "Happy New Year!"

Confetti was spilled. No fireworks were in the street, since Macorss City was in an enclosed space. I kissed Jenna.

"Happy new year," I said.

"Happy new year," she replied. "I hope we can have many more happy new years."

All of Jenna's friends greeted me a happy new year. So did Macross Gazette editor Jake Austin. I remember him mentioning that his wife was pregnant and the baby would be born in June. There had been at least three babies born since Glenn La Belle's birth.

"Happy new year," said this young man. "I'm Corporal Dow. I found you in Lieutenant Murphy's room and I led you here."

"And?" I asked.

"I'm now a veritech pilot."

That was when the siren blared.

"RED ALERT!" yelled a male voice over the public address system. "ALL VERITECH, DESTROID , AND GUNNERY CREWS REPORT TO YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!"

"Got to go, my love," Jenna said to me.

"I guess this is your first time," i said to Dow.

"if I can make it through this crowd, I'll be fine," he said.

I finished my new year's champagne and then I went to the observation deck. The veritech fighters launched out of the Promotheus aircraft carrier. Soon I can see tiny fireballs in the distance as they engaged our enemies.

At least we have New Year's fireworks.

What was I thinking? Those fireballs represent people dying. Jenna might be one of them!

Then the fireballs stopped. I saw the veritechs come back and land on the deck of Prometheus.

ooooooooo

I was in my apartment still up, waiting for a call from Jenna or someone from her squadron. The phone rang. I was glad it was Jenna.

"I just finished the debriefing," she said.

"Did Dow make it okay?" I asked, remembering the kid whom I met just minutes into the new year.

"Yes, he's back. We lost Perkins, though."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I didn't know Perkins that well. We're gonna have a memorial service in the morning."

"I guess I'll have to write his obit. Will Colonel Beckett at least release his military record to me?"

"Parts of it anyway. Just enough to let you know who he was."

ooooooooo

I wrote the obituary for Corporal Perkins. He was a tourist visiting from Jacksonville, Florida when the SDF-1 took Macross City into space. He had always wanted to be a pilot, seeing the veritech fighters take off from the air base there. He joined up soon after the fold so he can ensure the ship gets home. In my commentary I wrote that the best way to honor his legacy is to get to Earth and reunite with our families.

The enemy resumed its constant attacks. From my observations, they were not trying to destroy the ship or even send a boarding party; they were testing our defenses. Jenna flew in some of those battles. In the meantime, Lin Minmei called me and left a message saying that she was working on a record. I spoke to her in her family's restaurant.

"When will you finish?" I asked.

"As early as the end of February," she said. "No later than mid-March."

"And after that?"

"We'll see."

Life continued on Macross City. I reported on social events and the battles which I observed on the observation deck. There was one particularly nasty attack that shook the whole ship. Commander Ward issued a press release on the people who were killed. I did interviews for their obituaries.

Then Valentine's Day came, the day after that nasty attack. It was the first Valentine's Day I had in space. Macross City was hosting a dance in the observation deck.

I decided to cover the dance as one of the guests. Jenna was my date, dressed in this red dress. I was wearing my suit, the same one I wore when I first met Jenna. I just had it cleaned at the dry cleaners.

The deck was decorated with banners and red balloons and heart-shaped carboard cutouts. Punch was served, and there was an open bar. Vince, the bartender from Bright Star Casino, was tending the open bar.

"Our first Valentine's Day together," said Jenna, sipping her drink.

"I really think our relationship is, well is," I said.

"What?"

"Perfect."

And so we danced to the music. The DJ played songs from the '80's dating to the year the SDF-1 left Earth. Jenna and I had a fun time. I did not think that we were on a spaceship about a month from Earth. It was me, Jenna, and other couples here.

Then the music stopped allowing us to take a break. We decided to get more drinks from Vince.

I saw Claudia and Roy approach the bar. Claudia wore a green dress.

"Hi Claudia," said Jenna. "We met at the Christmas party two months ago."

"I remember you," she said. "How are you two doing?"

"Great," we both said.

"You're a lot like me and Roy, you know."

"The next dance will be coming up," said Roy. "You two better enjoy this moment."

"Okay, Commander," said Jenna.

"Hi there," a female voice said.

We looked and saw three women in blue dresses. One of them had black hair, one of them had brown hair and wore glasses, and one of them had red hair.

"We saw you talking to Claudia," said the red-haired woman. "Are you one of her friends?"

"I met her at the Christmas party," said Jenna. "She was Commander Fokker's date."

"They were together since we were assigned here," said the black-haired lady.

"What are your names?" I asked.

"Kim Young," said the black-haired lady.

"Vanessa Leeds," said the brown-haired lady.

"Sammie Porter," said the red-haired lady.

I introduced myself.

"A reporter?" asked Sammie. "Wow. Are you going to write about me?"

"If you make the news. Where are you assigned?"

"On the bridge," the three of them said in unison.

"Well, we'd better find men of our own," said Vanessa. "You have a great catch."

As the trio left to find dance partners, Jenna said, "They remind me of me and Lani and Katie."

"Let's dance," I said.

The next song was not being played from a CD. It was a live performance from Lin Minmei. Jenna and I assumed the dance position.

Minmei's song started with "To be in love". I concentrated on Jenna as I looked into her blue eyes, so I did not remember the lyrics to her songs. The song lasted for a minute or so. My heart was racing rapidly. To be near this woman.

"That was Miss Macross, folks," said the DJ. "Now we go back to our records."

I approached Minmei. "Beautiful song," I said.

"You like it?" she asked. "When my record is done, I'll give you and your girlfriend a free copy."

"Thanks."

I noticed that Jenna was talking to Claudia, but Roy Fokker was gone.

"Where did Commander Fokker go?" I asked.

"He said he had to get fresh air," said Claudia.

"But all the air in here's recycled."

I then saw a smoke trail through the window. It was emitted by a veritech fighter. It made another pass. I noticed the skull-and-crossbones insignia on it.

"That's Commander Fokker out there," said Jenna. "I wonder what he's doing out there."

Then the skull-and-crossbones veritech flew by emitting puffs of smoke. Letters seem to form.

I looked at Claudia. She obviously knew what the message would be.

"YES!" she shouted.

"That is so cool," I heard Lani Hart say. I noticed she and Katie Taney had arrived with two dates.

I saw the message.

"CLAUDIA GRANT, WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

oooooooooo

My article the day after was a hit, especially the part about the proposal. I actually interviewed the air control crew. They had no idea that Commander Fokker would do this; he told them he was planning an evening exercise.

On that same day, I received a call in my office from Commander Fokker.

"That was really cool what you did out there," I said.

"I'm not calling about my personal life," said the commander. "You see, Lieutenant Rick Hunter went missing with four other people. They were on a recon mission. Come to my office and I'll tell you about it."

And so that was what I did.

oooooooooo

"I used to be in the air circus," said Fokker as I sat in his private office. "Rick Hunter's dad owned the circus. I have no family. Mr. Hunter took me in, taught me how to fly. I was like a big brother to Rick. I left to become a fighter pilot when I was eighteen. I heard from him every now and then. Rick is someone that I trust with my very life, and with the lives of my pilots. I'll give you his record." Fokker gave me a file. Parts of it were blacked out. "I don't know if he's dead or not. But a veritech only has eighteen hours of air. He left at around two last afternoon."

"Maybe he was captured by the enemy," I said.

"You're a reporter. You shouldn't speculate."

"Of course not. Call me if you find Rick and the others."

"I just hope your next article on him isn't an obituary."

I then left the commander's office.

oooooooooo

I got a fax from the crew telling me that Rick Hunter, Max Sterling, Ben Dixon, Lew Badnarik, and Lisa Hayes went missing yesterday. Search parties have been looking for debris. I heard what Commander Fokker said. There are no habitable planets within range, so either they died of asphyxiation, or the enemy has them.

I got a phone call from Jenna that afternoon.

"I learned that five people went missing when they went out on a mission," I said.

"So they died?" asked Jenna.

"No, they went missing. They may have been captured by the enemy."

"Missing just means dead."

"Well, Commander Fokker said he would let me know if they find out what happened to them. In the meantime, I have a lot of work to do here and I won't be able to see you tonight."

"That's okay. The colonel assigned me to the graveyard shift. I have to do night maneuvers."

"We'll see each other soon. Love you."

"Love you too, babe."

oooooooooo

Minmei's debut album came out a few days later. I had already written an article on the missing five. I even covered the candlelight vigil held in the city plaza. But there was nothing more to report after that. I would either write an article on their safe return, or I would write an article on their sacrifice for us. I decided to focus on Minmei's new career as an entertainer. With the enemy having ceased its offensive, I could concentrate on other news.

I was at the Tower Records store. The owner said that he would send back fees to Tower Records headquarters upon their return to Earth. Minmei was there with her entourage. She was signing copies of her debut album. Interestingly enough, the artist's name is Lynn Minmay. I guess she spelled her stage name differently.

"I've been waiting for this," said one of the customers.

"Minmei rules!" yelled another.

"How do you like the crowd?" I asked Minmei.

"It's okay," she said.

"You don't seem to excited," I said.

"I'm just a little tired, that's all."

ooooooooo

Later that day, I met Jenna as she got out of the elevator connecting the city with the other decks of the ship.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked. "The casino."

"I just want some peace and quiet," I said. "I can go to the casino on the weekends. Maybe we should go get a salad or something."

"Fine by me," I said. We went to this place which sold salads. It was small, with a few tables and chairs and a tiled floor. Meat was very scarce, so our diet was mostly vegetarian.

"Those hydroponic farmers sure know how to make food," I said, eating some lettuce drenched in Italian dressing.

"A nice steak is what I want," said Jenna.

"When we go back to Earth, we can have a nice steak dinner," I said.

"I wonder how we'll keep in touch."

"I'll give you my address. And I'd like to take you home. I mean, I'm sure ther Marines will give you a vacation once we reach Earth."

"I would like that. And I'd like you to meet my parents."

"We're getting closer and closer to Earth. We'll probably be within realtime communications range soon."

"AAAAAAAH!" someone yelled.

Jenna and I rushed out. Where did the scream come from?

"The casino!" someone yelled.

We both rushed into the Bright Star Casino. I could see the slot machines and the tables.

And there were bloody bodies lying about.

oooooooooooo

The Macross City Police Department cordoned off the place and the parmaedics took wounded to the hospital. The Macross Boradcasting System reporters were there, covering the event live. I heard bits and pieces of what happened.

Then Chief Scott Bernard of the Macross City Police Department came to the scene and spoke to all of us reporters.

"A shrapnel bomb was detonated inside the Bright Star Casino today," said the chief. "At least three people are confirmed dead."

"My God," I said.

"Who could do this?" asked Jenna.

Then I remembered. The guy who was dragged away by security police back on the day the SDF-1 was launched; that must have been him.

"Excuse me," I said to the police who were investigating.

"What's up?" asked one of the detectives, a tall man in a suit with a bushy moustache on his upper lip.

I told him about the attemped bombing of the SDF-1 launch ceremony, and my seeing him months ago, before we reached Mars.

"Thank you, sir," said the detective.

oooooooo

Jenna and I went into my apartment. We watched the news. The casino bombing was the top story. Captain Gloval and Mayor Luan visited the bombing site and issued statements expressing condolences and vowing to punsih those responsible. The police were looking into the records of all Macross City residents and SDF-1 crew members.

oooooooooooo

BOMBING IN CASINO KILLS 33!

That was the headline of the Macross Gazette. Thirty-three dead. The names were not published pending notification of the families. This was such a tragic day. I continued to follow up on the story, asking people questions.

Jenna called me that afternoon. "I have bad news," she said. "Lieutenant Reese was killed. Doctors saiud he died when shrapnel pierced his heart."

"I'm sorry."

"He wasn't out there fighting the enemy. He was just having a fun time in the casino."

"If you want to come over just to be with me, feel free."

"I also have good news," said Jenna. "Vince is alive. He's at the hospital."

ooooooooooooo

So Jenna and I went to the hospital. The nurse told me where Vince is. We walked along the hallway,. and we entered Vince's room.

We saw two people in there already. I looked, and I recognized them as Roy Fokker and Claudia Grant.

"We're here to visit Vince," said Jenna.

"How are you two doing?" he asked us.

"We should be asking you that, Mister."

"Well, I feel like I had been lying on a table while doctors picked shrapnel out of my ass," he said.

Vince did not look to be in terrible shape. Jenna looked worse when she was first admitted here two months ago.

"Vince is my brother," said Claudia. "He moved to Macross City to work in the casino industry."

"What happened there?" I asked.

"I was working at the bar," said Vince. "This guy in a trenchcoat appeared in this open area between the tables and the slot machines. He yelled something. it sounded like for all his profits. I saw the trigger. I ran for cover. I was taken to the hospital, and the doctors sedated me. They told me that is the shrapnel were just a little bit to the left or right, I would have bled to death."

"You're very lucky, Vince," said Jenna. "You too Claudia."

"I think I know what that guy was saying," I said. "You said he said all his profits? I think he said this is for Allah and his prophet Muhammad. He's an Islamic terrorist. Their MO is suicide attacks on civilians. They did that a lot in Israel. I'm from New York and I know what sort of destruction these people are capable of."

"Why would they do such a thing?" Roy asked angrily, clenching his fist. "And we're on a ship far from home under alien attack. Why would these people carry a grudge all the way here?"

"It's their reason," I said. "They're not like the other anti-UN faction; they don't want independence from the UN. They want everyone in the world to submit to Islamic law. They want to kill all Jews and beat any woman who shows her face in public or goes to school. And they will kill civilians, even other Muslims, to achieve that."

"The enemy might not be so bad compared to those guys," said Jenna.

Someone called out my name. I turned and saw Chief Bernard, a Spacy security police officer, and the detective I spoke with earlier.

Chief Bernard grabbed me and put handcuffs on me. "You;re under arrest for the bombing of the Bright Star Casino."

"What?" asked Jenna. "He's not a terrorist."

"That's for a court to decide," said the Spacy officer. "As for you, I'm bringing you in for questioning."

I looked at Jenna as I was hauled away. 


	10. Three Days and Two Nights

I was taken to the Macross City Police headquarters, located on the first floor of City Hall. I was fingerprinted and photographed. Then I was escorted to a small room. There was a table and two chairs. I waited there for many minutes.

Then the door opened. The detective I had spoken to in front of the Bright Star Casino sat down.

"I'm Detective Fantone, Macross PD," he said.

"Do I get a lawyer?" I asked.

"You're under United Nations jurisdiction," he said. "You may see a lawyer when I' am done questioning. Tell me where you were at 7:18 PM."

"I was at the Greenleaf Salad House. I was with my girlfriend Jenna Murphy. She's a lieutenant in the Marines and a veritech pilot."

"And you claimed to have seen the bomber."

"Yes. The first time was at the SDF-1 launch ceremony. I saw a scuffle and the Spacy police arrested a man. I saw that he was wearing dynamite on his waist. I looked into his eyes. The second time was aboard ship, just before we visited Mars."

"Do you really think the Spacy police would release a man who tried to blow up the ship?"

"The enemy attack on that day probably gave him an opportunity to slip by."

"You say he's a member of an anti-UN faction."

"One of the Islamic factions. They send people to blow themselves up to destroy civilian targets, promising eternal paradise as a reward. They were doing that even before the SDF-1 arrived on Earth. I'm from New York and I know what these people can do."

"So you say. How do we even know you are who you say you are? Anyone could have lied when they registered for residency on board this ship."

"That bomber probably did."

"And last October, you filed a report to the police claiming to have seen someone who tried to bomb the ceremonies?"

"Because I did," I said.

"We'll get you a lawyer tomorrow morning," said the detective.

I was then escorted to a jail cell.

oooooooooo

The next morning, I woke up and looked around, seeing a rectangular room and bars. I was in jail. The jaier served me some breakfast which was simply bread and orange juice.

Some police officers arrived. "Your lawyer's here," they said.

They took me to the room where Detective Fantone interrogated me. I waited for a minute and then this man entered. He had short blond hair on his head. He wore a suit on his body and glasses on his face.

"I'm Harvey Wayne," he said. "I'm your attorney."

"You know what they're accusing me of?"

"Yes."

"So what's next?" I asked.

"Well, most likely the ship will reach Earth before trial begins. You will be tried in a United Nations criminal court."

"Do I get bail or anything?"

"You are on board a military vessel. The authorities may confine you or isolate you as they see fit as long as you are a passenger."

"Well, this is a way for me to get home. In chains."

"We're within realtime communications range with Earth," said my lawyer. "I'm going to speak with the authorities, see if we can ID the man who did the bombing. But you have to tell me everything you know about the bombing."

"Okay," I said.

ooooooooooo

I spoke with Harvey Wayne, and he told me he would do everything in his power to get me released. There was not much to do in jail. I did a a visitor in the evening.

Three of them in fact.

"Hi," said Jenna, accompanied by her friends Katie Taney and Lani Hart. "How are you doing?"

"Just waiting out, I guess," I said. "I might still be in jail when SDF-1 returns to Earth."

"There's no way you could have been involved."

"They think I'm involved because I warned them about the terrorist a few months ago."

"What dickheads," said Lani.

"Maybe we could tell Colonel Beckett," said Katie. "Maybe we can get Captain Gloval involved."

"By the way, how's Vince doing?" I asked.

"Vince is doing well," said Jenna. "He just had some more surgery. He's alive though. I just wish Lieutenat Reese wasn't killed. Why did he have to die?"

"He didn't have to," I said. "Somebody made a choice to kill him and others just because of a false promise of paradise. Eight years ago, I lost an uncle to those kind of people. They're probably worse than the enemy you guys are fighting."

"I'll make sure to visit you after work," said Jenna.

"I'd appreicate that," I said.

I went back to my cell, as if I had anywhere else to go, and lied down on the cot. I wondered about my future. What evidence do they have against me? Where on Earth would the trial take place? Would I be put to death if I was convicted?

oooooooooo

The next day, after lunch, I was interrogated by the Spacy police officer who was present.

"I am Lieutenant La Salle, provost marshal for SDF-1," said the officer. "We met before."

"Yes, you told me to watch what I print."

"That's right. We now have realtime communication with Earth. I spoke to Interpol and ask them to tell me what they could about you. And they came up with somerthing interesting."

"What?" I asked.

"Two years ago, you wrote up something favorable about one of the anti-UN factions."

"I was doing a story on the Ivory Coast," I said. "It was a year after the UN signed a ceasefire with them granting them complete independence. The government invited foreign reporters to a press conference and I was one of them. I was completely objective. And besides, they just wanted to be left alone. They're nothing like the terrorists who want to impose Islamic law."

"So you favor one anti-UN faction over another."

"I don't favor any anti-UN faction. I just think that some we can live with, while others will destroy us if we don't destroy them. And you must know that I had nothing to do with the bombing. You checked the name I gave you and it matched records on Earth."

"We'll see what happend, mister," said La Salle. "if we find something connecting you to any anti-UN faction, you'll be in deep shit."

ooooooooooo

"I believe it," said Jenna. "She grilled me that way when she questioned me in her office."

"Just because I went to an anti-UN country to do a story suddenly means I'm an Islamic terrorist?" I asked.

"A lot of people did die in that bombing, including Reese. People want someone to blame."

"Then blame it on those aliens for all I care!"

"Just have faith. Sometimes when I fly out there, I wonder if I'll come back. I know you'll get through this."

"How about we talk about you," I said. "How are you doing?"

"Fine. The enemy hasn't attacked since Valentine's Day."

"Maybe they have other priorities," I said. "Who knows what other enemies they have besides us."

"And Earth had not been attacked since we left. The ship now has realtime communication with Earth. We're close to home."

"Yeah, and here I am in a jail cell."

"Visiting time is over," said the police officer. I was escorted back to my cell. I just lay in my cell, staring at the ceiling, with only the jailer to keep me company. Time seemed to stop and I couldn't sleep. I wondered if spending all my time in a small cell will be in my future.

ooooooooooooo

The next morning, I was given breakfast. I just sat in my cell. This was boring. this was more boring than the day after the fold operation when the city was still out in the island. What was I supposed to do? I could sleep half of the day off, but when I am awake I need something to do.

Then some people came to my cell. I saw my lawyer Harvey Wayne, along with Chief Scott Bernard, Detective Fantone, and Lieutenant La Salle.

"The police released you," said Wayne.

My mood became ecstatic. I was free!

I signed a form and then the police gave me the stuff they took when I was arrested. I got dressed in my own clothes and then I walked out of the police station.

"The guy who did the bombing was Abu Musab Salim," said my lawyer. "He was on Interpol's terrorist watch list. There was not enough evidence connecting you to any terrorist acts on Earth, and none will be found."

"I'd better make a phone call," I said.

I went to a public telephone and dialed the number for the Knight Squadron office. I asked for Lieutenant Jenna Murphy.

"Hello," said Jenna.

"I'M OUT OF JAIL!" I yelled.

"I knew they would release you." Then the siren screamed. "I've got to go."

I immedaitely ran for the observation deck. The battle had already started. I could see fireballs. In the distance there was a ship. It was purple instead of green. Was it a different enemy? I watched as out fighters engaged the enemy fighters and pods. I noticed a destroid out there. It was moving pretty fast for a destroid. I knew that destroids can manuever in space, but not with such agility. Then the destroid returned back out into the battle.

The fireballs stopped, and I saw the fighters returning to Prometheus. Then I saw two battloids escorting an enemy pod. We captured an enemy pod. I made sure to take notes.

The all-clear signal was given as I was returning to my office. I was going to review the notes I took of the battle I observed.

I saw a blinking light in my answering machine. I pressed it for my two messages.

"This is Jenna," said the first message. "I'm calling to let you know I made it back alive. Got to go to the debriefing."

"This is Lieutenant Commander Fokker," said the second message. "I am pleased to inform you that Rick Hunter, Max Sterling, Ben Dixon, and Lisa Hayes have returned."

Not only was I free, but the missing crew members have returned. I was in a great mood. I looked forward to seeing Jenna tonight. 


	11. Splashdown!

MISSING CREW MEMBERS RETURN HOME SAFELY!

That was the headline the next day. I wrote about what the military officially released. Rick Hunter, Max Sterling, Ben Dixon, and Lisa Hayes had been captured by the enemy. They managed to escape somehow and steal an enemy battle pod. They were examined in the SDF-1 Macross's sick bay and then they were released. I gathered statements from their co-workers, as the four of them were not available for interviews.

But there was one sad note. Third Lieutenant Lew Badnarik was killed in the enemy attack that led to their capture. I interviewed his parents.

"We flew to Macross to see Lew before the ship launched from Earth," said Mrs. Badnarik, wiping tears from her eyes. "We were supposed to fly home the day after."

"Lew helped us adjust to life on board the ship," said Mr. Badnarik. "He took the time to visit us after he got off duty. He made sure to spend at least one evening a week with us. We had dinner the evening before he was sent out to his death."

"Badnarik wasn't qualified for combat flying," said his wingmate Lieutenant Danning. "He and I were assigned to operate the Cat's Eye recon planes. 'He was a good friend."

The day that Lew Badnarik's obituary was published, the military decided to release some information that the four crew members gathered while they were in enemy custody. I and the other reporters went inside the SDF-1's press briefing room. Lieutenant Commander Ward spoke.

"The enemy call themselves the Zentraedi," said Commander Ward. "They are about forty feet tall according to reports from our recently recovered crew members."

At least I knew how to refer to them in future articles. The description did not surprise me, since I saw one of them the day I met Jenna.

"What do the Zentraedi want?" someone asked.

"We don't know."

"Where is their home planet?" asked another reporter.

"We don't know. The four only saw the inside of an enemy ship."

"And how many ship are there in their fleet?" I asked.

"That information is classified, sir," said the commander.

oooooooooo

Abig welcome home celebration as held at the Macross Amphitheater, the same place where Jenna competed in the Miss Macross competition. Ben Dixon, Lisa Hayes, Rick Hunter, and Max Sterling were all on stage, dressed in their full uniforms. Ben Dixon was this big fellow with brown hair, Lisa Hayes was a woman with brown hair reaching her shoulders, Rick Hunter was shorter than Ben and had black hair, and Max Sterling had blue-dyed hair and wore glasses, unusual for a combat pilot.

Lin Minmei walked out and gave flowers to each of them. She gave Rick Hunter a kiss. I made sure to take notes.

The four of them walked through the aisle.

"It was amazing that you four managed to escape an enemy ship," said Lani Hart. "Considering you're Spacy pilots."

"Hey, lady," said Ben Dixon. "We're the guys that haul your veritechs out into space. And how would you deal with giant aliens? Fortunately, Max, the skipper, and Commander Hayes had me to watch out for them. With those stunts we pulled, those aliens couldn't keep us locked up. Haw! Haw! Haw!"

"You sure talk big," said Katie Taney.

I walked up to speak with this guy. "How was it like?" I asked.

"it was huge!" said Ben Dixon. "I mean, the ship was huge. You could fit a highway in one of their corridors! And these aliens were huge. But they were no match for me."

"Dixon!" barked Commander Hayes. "Watch what you say to this reporter."

"Sorry, ma'am."

I asked Max, the blue-haired boy about his experience.

"I had to do some creative thinking to escape the alien ship," he said.

I turned to Lieutenant Hunter. "How do you feel?" I asked.

"I just want to go home and sleep," said Rick. "I had enough excitement to last me forever."

Jenna looked at me. "How about we have our own celebration?" she asked.

"Not done working yet," I said. "I have an idea on how to get more information. Follow me." I took Jenna's hand and then I ran into the street. "Ben Dixon!" I yelled. "Hey Ben!"

"What is it?" asked the Spacy pilot.

"I was really impressed with how you escaped from the enemy," I said. "We should buy you a drink."

And so I did.

oooooooooooo

Jenna and I took Ben Dixon to the Bright Star Casino. The casino was busy as usual, with patrons gambling their money in slot machines, table card games, roulette, and craps. We went to the bar. Some lady named Susie was bartending, as Vince was still in the hospital.

"This man escaped from the Zentraedi ship," I said. "I'm buying him a drink."

"Hi, my name is Jenna," said Jenna. "I'm a veritech pilot just like you, except I'm in the Marines."

"Ben Dixon," said our guest. "Call me Ben."

And so we made sure Ben had all the drinks he could swallow.

"So tell me Ben," said Jenna. "What happened? Start from the beginning."

"Uh, we were flying cover for Lisa," said Ben, his speech slurred. "And...and then they attacked. They got Lisa and we flew out veritechs into the ship. We got into a fight with the crew. And then there was this really big guy with a plate on his face. He smashed us up good. We were taken to their headquarters. We met this really big guy. His name's Dolza and he's like the king or somethin. They kept asking us aboiut this protoculture. There was something interesting."

"What was it?" asked Jenna.

"They didn't know how we made babies. When Rick and Lisa kissed, they got all disgusted. You know, if we want to win, we should just show them pornos or something."

"And then?"

"And then Max came. He was in his battloid, dressed like a Zentraedi. He got us out, but then his battloid blew up. We managed to find out way to another ship. We hid there and then we stole a battle pod and we were rescued."

"I saw them take the battle pod in."

I whispered to Jenna.

"Ben," she asked, "could you please tell us how many ships the Zentraedi have in their fleet?"

"Four or five."

"What?" I asked. "Hundred? Thousand?"

"Million," said Ben.

oooooooooo

Jenna and I left the casino. Ben would probably gamble away his bonus pay, and wake up with a hell of a hangover. We went to the observation deck. We could see outside into space.

"Four million ships," I said. "The Spacy does not even have two thousand ships."

"Maybe the Zentraedi have other enemies," said Jenna. "I mean, there have been long periods of no enemy attacks against us. We might be a low priority compared to their foes."

"I have absolutely no idea of what interstellar politics are like," I said. "If the Zentraedi have poweerful enemies, I hope they stay at war. If we become their only enemy, there won't be anything left of the ship bigger than a baseball."

"I see it," someone said.

"I told you," said someone else.

I looked and saw two boys. One was wearing a Dragonball T-shirt. The other kid was wearing a New York Yankees cap. The boy with the cap had been looking through one of the telescopes mounted on the observation deck.

"What do you see?" I asked.

"Earth," said the boy.

I went to the telescope. I saw nothing but star-studded space and the Zentraedi warships following us.

"Let me, Mister," said one of the boys.

He moved the telescope. I saw something.

Something blue.

I moved slightly and zoomed in. It was Earth!

"Earth!" I shouted. "I can see Earth!"

"let me see," said Jenna. I let her look through the telescope. "Yes! I can see Earth! And there's the moon! We're almost there!"

"How long until we reach Earth?" I asked.

"Two days," said one of the boys.

I'm only two days from home.

But I looked at the Zentraedi fleet, and I wondered if we can bust through.

I would learn the answer later.

oooooooooo

All of Macross City learned quickly how close we are to Earth. There was much talk of what they would do, whom they would call.

I called the telephone operator to ask if I can speak to someone on Earth, since we were close enough for realtime radio communication.

"No, you can only call on board ship," said the Macross telephone operator.

"Patch me in to SDF-1 Communications Control."

"Hello," said a female voice.

I told her my name. "Can you get me a call to New York?'" I asked.

"We can't access the telephone satellites," she said.

I was certain the enemy would try to stop us from reaching Earth orbit. On the morning we were predicted to arrive, I went to the observation deck. I could see Earth without a telescope. I pointed the telescope and then put a quarter in. I moved and saw the continents. It looked unfamilar until I realized we were flying such that I was looking at Earth with the south pole on top. I tried to look at the continents, see if I could recognize the shapes even if they appeared upside down.

I recognized Africa. I could see Europe with its Italian peninsula. I could see the British isles. I zoomed in. I could see North America. I looked up and down the coastline.

As Earth was rotating clockwise in relation to us, I could see relatively large island near North America's Atlantic coastline. That was Long Island. the island entered the lit side of Earth. I could see Queens and Brooklyn. Then a much smaller island appeared. Manhattan.

It would be nice if SDF-1 were to land right in New York Harbor, next to the Statue of Liberty. But it was not to be.

The alarm sounded, and I knew this was it. We were going to break through the enemy lines and make it to Earth. I saw the veritechs launch out of the deck of the Prometheus.

"ALL HANDS PREPARED FOR MODULAR TRANSFORMATION!" I heard through the loudspeaker.

Fortunately, the observation deck remained intact after the transformation, as it was rebuilt after the first transformation. I could see fireballs out in space. The veritechs were engaging the Zentraedi fighters and pods.

I prayed that Jenna would be there to greet me when we return to Earth.

Then the fireballs stopped. I wondered if we repelled the enemy attack, or if all of our fighters were destroyed and the Zentraedi would then destroy us.

The Earth got closer and closer and I could see some of the veritechs. We broke through! We were going back to Earth.

I sat down on one of the seats. The seats here had seat belts. I made sure to fasten my seat belts. I would be in for a very bumpy read.

I saw one of the veritechs next to us flashing its lights while none of the others did. That was Jenna! She made it and she knew I would be in the observation deck

The Earth consumed more of my view until it filled the whole window. The window showed nothing but an expanse of blue streaked with white. I could soon see some sort of light, like a corona. The SDF-1 was re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. I stared for many tense minutes. I could see these coronas surrounding our veritech escorts.

Then the corona effect disappeared. We were slowing down. I could see clouds pass us. I waited many more minutes.

Then I felt shaking and I saw water splash against the window. Water filled the view of the window for a few seconds. then it receded to reveal a clear blue sky.

The Earth's sky.

I got out of my seat and looked at the sky. It was so beautiful.

"WE HAVE JUST TOUCHED DOWN IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN!" yelled an excited female voice over the intercom. "THE CAPTAIN AND CREW WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR YOU SPLENDID COOPERATION DURING THIS LONG AND DIFFICULT UNDERTAKING. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY ON EARTH! THE SUN IS SHINING AND THE SEA IS CALM! IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK!"

I immediately ran through the streets of Macross City and trhough one of the hatches. I took a big whiff. I was breathing air from Earth! Hundreds of people were with me. I saw one guy doing cartwheels.

I looked up and saw veritech fighters greeting us. They were probably from a UN Navy vessel nearby, coming to greet us all home. I then saw veritechs on their landing approach from Promotheus. One by one they landed until the SDF-1's air wing was all in the hangar deck.

There was one more thing. I ran back inside the ship and headed to my apartment in Macross City. I saw a blinking light on my answering machine.

I pressed the play button.

"It's me, Jenna," said the message. I won't be seeing you for a few hours. I just want you to know that I made it back to Earth and I'm in the office. See you later."

I lay down in my bed. It was good to be back! 


	12. Bad News

The evening after we returned to Earth, we celbrated in the Lins' Chinese restaurant. Jenna was there with her friends Lani Hart and Katie Taney, as well as other Knight Squadron pilots and civilian companions.

"To Earth," we all said as we toasted our drinks.

"You know, it's amazing," said Lieutenant Jonathan Wolfe. "We were only gonna be on the ship six months. Instead, we spent a year here and we got to meet more people than we thought."

"Hey Ichijo, who's that girl?" asked Lani.

"She was in the Miss Macross competition," said Lieutenant Ichijo. "She's gonna be a model."

"At least I got a great consolation prize," said this girl with long, flowing black hair who is sitting on the pilot's lap. "Maybe I can go to Paris to be a model."

"By next week, we'll be off this ship," said Lieutenant Landry. "I'll miss the SDF-1 crew, especially that Dixon character."

"Listen," I said. "We have a worldwide postal system, not to mention the Internet. We can still have contact. We are in a place were we can travel between the Earth and moon in minutes."

"And we should not forgot Major Colmes and the others," said Katie. "They died so we can be here."

"Another toast," I said. "To those who couldn't be with us today."

oooooooo

That night, Jenna and I were inside our apartment. It was my first night on Earth since my stay at the Macross Hyatt over a year ago. I looked around the place. I looked at the bed and the dining table and the sock drawer and the desk and the telephone and the General Electric clock radio and the Sony television and the Aiwa stereo system. Jenna helped me with the decoration. Now I will soon move back home.

"This is Minmei's debut album," said Jenna, holding a CSD. She inserts it into the stereo's CD player and presses teh play button.

"Now that I'm sure that I found the man in my life," the song begins.

"That was the song Minemi dedicated to us," said Jenna.

I looked at the song list on the inside of the CD case. Sure enough, the song was dedicated to me and Jenna.

"I'm glad I saw that enemy pod back on Mars," I said.

The song continued to play.

"So you're going back to New York," she said.

"Yeah. As soon as the transport planes arrive."

"There's seventy thousand here. It'll take few flights to move everyone out. And while you have a home in New York, what about the people whose homes were in Macross City?"

"Maybe they can be relocated somewhere on Long Island," I said. "Plenty of space there for seventy thousand people."

"We won't be seeing much of each other after you go back to New York. Even if you were staying on the ship, my squadron might be moved to a Marine air station on Earth or even on the moon."

"We'll just have to make sure we have a line of communcation with each other," I said. "And maybe you can take a vacation and come with me to New York. After a year of fighting the Zentraedi just to get us all home, I don't think UN Headquarters would deny you and your whole squadron a vacation. Let other pilots take the task of defending Earth for a while."

"You're right," said Jenna. "Give me the phine number for your home and office in New York."

"I probably don't have an apartment in New York anymore; I can give you the number for my parents' house in Queens. And I can give you my office number. I'd love to see the look on Chegwidden's face when he reads my articles."

oooooooooooo

WE'RE BACK! SDF-1 SPLASHES DOWN ON EARTH

That was the next day's headline for the Macross Gazette, with me writing the cover story. Macross City was holding a party outside on the deck of Daedalus. Jenna had the day off, so we were there. There were booths around. People were serving punch and candy and party favors. Jenna was wearing a cute coned hat on her head. I saw transport planes landing on the deck of Prometheus.

"Those are the new arrivals," said Jenna. "They're coming in to replace those who were killed."

"I wonder if SDF-1 will be returning to space," I said.

"Well, I'm sure it will aftert you and the others leave. I don't know if my squadron will still be on the ship."

"I want to spend every moment with you," I said.

I grabbed her waist and pulled her to me. I smiled as I kissed her.

"What are you doing?" someone asked.

I turned and saw three men. Two of them was holding upo a third, bigger man who had trouble standing. One of them had black hair, the other had purple hair, and the big guy had red hair.

"I'm just here with my girlfriend celebrating our return to Earth," I said.

"What is this thing girlfriend?" asked the purple-haired man.  
"And why were you pressing your lips together?" asked the black-haired man.

"I'm a girl, he's a boy, and we love each other," said Jenna. "Are you gay or something?"

"Gay?" asked the purple-haired man.

"Yeah, we're gay!" said the big red-haired man.

"That's right," said the man with black hair. "Gay we are."

"Let's leave these three queers to be with each other," I said. I looked and noticed a limousine. I saw a black-haired girl come out. That was Lin Minmei!

"Don't you want to go over there to ask Minmei questions?" asked Jenna.

"I can cover the party here," I said. "With you."

I looked and saw Minmei get into a fanjet with this guy in an orange jacket. Tjhe fanjet takes off and flies over the Pacific to the west.

"If Minmei's leaving, maybe you will too," said Jenna.

I then saw another plane. It was a military plane with the UN military logo. It was launched from Prometheus. The two planes were followed by veritech fighters. After I saw the planes disappear, Jenna and I took sips of punch.

"Excuse me, ma'am," said someone. I looked and saw a UN Spacy policeman.

"What?" asked Jenna.

"Are you Lieutenant Jenna Murphy?" he asked.

"Yes, Corporal."

"Then come with me. Colonel Beckett summons you."

"But it's my day off."

"I'm sure its' very important, ma'am."

I saw Jenna taken into the ship. I looked at the partying crowd, and I figured I have enough notes for a story. I went back inside.

oooooooooo

I was in my office when Jenna burst in, dressed in her uniform. She was overexcited.

"Guess what?" she asked.

"The colonel apologized for dragging you in on your day off when he didn't need you?" I asked.

"No, you are looking at Captain Jenna Murphy! I got promoted!"

I hugged her. "Congratulations, Captain!"

"Katie and Lani got promoted too; they're first lieutenants. We're gonna celebrate at the Lins' Chinese restaurant tonight."

ooooooooo

After Jenna told me of her promotion, we decided to pay a visit to Vince, who was still in the hospital. I noticed that he was staying n the same room that Jenna was in when she was recovering.

"How are you doing, Vince?" I asked.

"I'm fine, guys," he said. "I'll probably be able to return to work tomorrow. And I'm glad, since the casino will probably be closed when we are moved off the ship."

"I got promoted to captain," said Jenna.

"So you're now equal with Captain Gloval?" asked Vince.

"No, a Spacy captain ranks higher than a Marine captain."

"Jean's really good to me," said Vince.

"Who?" I asked.

"My nurse. She was a Spacy nurse assigned to the ship when it went into space."

"You know, I'm heading back to New York," I said. "As soon as the transports arrive to pick us up."

"I'm a Macross resident. I wonder where the UN will put me."

"Take care, Vince," I said. "I hope to see you tomorrow."

I then left the room. I saw Claudia walking in my direction.

"Hi, Claudia," I said. "I guess you're coming to see Vince."

"That's right," she said.

"He has good news for you."

"I'll ask him." And then she walked into Vince's room.

ooooooooo

Knight Squadron celebrated their recent promotions at the Lins' Chinese restaurant. We all sat down there.

"To our promotions," said Katie.

"And to the new recruits we have," said Lieutenant Wolfe.

"You know we have a new XO now?" asked Lani.

"A woman XO," said Lieutenant Ichijo. "Her name is Major Hayase."

"Maybe I'll get to meet her," I said. "So what's it like being a first lieutenant?"

"Knowing you're not at the bottom of the shit heap," replied Ichijo as he grabbed chow fun noodles with his chopsticks.

"I heard we got some more meat on this hip," said Jenna. "I'm tired of being a vegan. Maybe we can have meat before we are reassigned somewhere else."

"Will all of you get a vacation?" I asked.

"I hope so," replied everyone.

"Reemember flight training," said Lani. "When we were like learning how to land the veritechs, and then Jenna accidentally went into guardian mode and she landed right in the freeway."

"They put the landing gear lever close to the mode control lever," said Jenna. "It wasn't my fault."

"You're lucky you're here with us," said Katie, "And not pushing papers in UN Headquarters."

oooooooooooo

The next morning, I went to the Prometheus to cover Minmei's return. As it turned out, she wanted to stay in Macross City, so she was being flown back in that little fanjet. The reporters were allowed on the hangar deck. I was dressed in my suit, the same one I wore when I first left Earth.

The elevator descended, and the little fanjet came down. I took a pictures. Then Minmei came out along with two people.

Why were there two people with her? I thought there was only one pilot.

The pilot I recognized, Lieutenant Rick Hunter. I did not recognize the young man with long black hair. He was dressed in blue.

"Excuse me, sir," I asked. "What is your name?"

"Lin Kyle," he said. "Call me Kyle. Minmei's my cousin."

"And where did you fly from?" I asked.

"Yokohama, Japan," said Kyle. "Minmei's parents lived there and I was living with them when I went to college over there. In my last semester, I heard Macross City was destroyed. I didn't knowe until Minmei came back."

"What is going on Earth?" I asked.

"I just want to be with my parents now," said Kyle.

"Excuse me, Minmei," I said. "Tell us what you heard about world events?"

"It's still here," she said.

ooooooooooo

Later that day, I went to thew Bright Star Casino. I was hoping Vince was on his feet already. I was surprised to see Jenna and her two friends there.

"Captain, First Lieutenants," I said to the three of them.

"Are you going to refer to me by rank, Mr. Reporter?" asked Jenna.

"Only if you were promoted within the last day," I said. "I thought you'd be in the office."

"We are all having four hour shifts only," said Lani.

"It was my idea," said Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker, who was sitting at the bar. "I spoke with Colonel Maistroff and Captain Gloval and they agreed the crew needed a shorter workday. After all the extra hours we put last year, we deserve some rest."

"How are you doing, Vince?" I asked as I looked at him.

"I'm feeling great, thank you," he said. "I'm glad to be working here just before the casino moves to wherever the UN relocates us."

"I'm glad you're on your feet. Get me a beer please."

I looked at the television. Minmei's image appeared. She sang the song that was dedicated to me and Jenna. Then it disappeared. There was a Special Report on the Macross Broadcasting System. I hoped it wasn't a terrorist bombing.

The news was not good.

"In a press conference," said the TV reporter. "Captain Gloval has informed that permission of the suriviors to leave the battle fortress have been flatly rejected."

Next I saw, the televiion screen was shattered by a shot glass.

"This is fucked up!" yelled Vince. "How could they do this?"

I agreed. I was here on Earth, gone for a year, and I can't go back to my family in New York! What the hell was this! Will the UN tell my family I'm still here, or will they just leave them in the dark, letting them think I'm dead? I can't imagine what they have been going through the past year.

I looked at Commander Fokker. "Why are they doing this?" I asked.

"I don't know," replied the commander. "Claudia just told me as we were going here. It was an idiot decision by headquarters."

"I'm not standing for it," Jenna said to me. "I am flying you back to New York in my veritech right now, and I don't care if I get court-martialed!"

"Hey you!" yelled some casino patron. "Why the fuck can't we leave the ship."

Soon an angry crowd gathered, wanting to talk to the military officers who were sitting at the bar with me.

"We don't know," said Jenna.

Then one of them made a mistake. He pulled her blond hair. "Give me answers now you fucking bitch!"

I gave him an answer by grabbing a beer bottle and smashing it on top of his head.

It turned into a brawl. With my back heel off the ground, I used my legs to add power to my palm-heel strikes. Someone was coming after me, and Idelivered a kick.

Then someone punched me and knocked me to the floor. I then saw vince leap over the bar and then ounch some guy. Less than a minute after the fight started, the angry mob fled the casino.

"Are you all right?" Jenna asked me.

"Fine," I said.

"Good fighter," said Commander Fokker. "But you hit that guy with my beer bottle. You owe me a beer."

"Okay, then." I ordered another beer to replace the beer bottle I used to hit the guy that was attacking Jenna.

Then I heard the announcement. "ALL CREW TO BATTLE STATIONS!" a voice yelled.

"We've got to go," said Jenna.

"Go get them, Captain," I said to her.

"We'll be back," said Lani.  
"You can count on that," said Katie.

They all left, as did Commander Fokker.

"You can have the beer if you want," said Vince. "No pilot who left his drink here ever asked for it."

I took the beer I bought for Commander Fokker and I left the casino to take my battle station.

ooooooooooo

I looked out and it was a clear and perfect day, with a clear blue sky over the Pacific Ocean. I saw the veritech fighters take off from Promoetheus. I saw the Knight Squadron's fighters with their black paint job and red trim take off. Then I saw the Zentraedi cruiser.

The Zentraedi cruiser deployed its own fighters. Their fighters and our fighters were shooting at each other, and the sky was filled with explosions. The enemy pressed its advantage, and I soon saw pods coming down from the cruiser to land on SDF-1. Some of the veritech fighter reinforcements were blown up before they took off from Prometheus.

I could see that the Zentraedi pods landed on the decks of Prometheus and Daedalus. The Marine destroid units started to engage the enemy pods. Veritech fighters changed into guardian and battloid modes to provide assistance. It was an all out battle. I could see dogfights in the sky between fighters, and battles on the decks between mecha.

I saw a flying mecha, shaped like a suit of armor. It was like a destroid. I seemed to remember seeing it from somewhere.

Then it blew up one of our fighters. It proceeded to destroy another UN fighter. That flying destroid was Zentraedi!

The battle on decks and in the air continued for a few minutes. Then the Zentraedi cruiser approaches closer and closer. Green shields moved about blocking the laser beams, missiles, and cannon rounds. It looked like the cruiser was going to ram us!

But the the SDF-1 raised the Daedalus. It impaled the cruiser with the Deadalus. Then the destroids inside launched their missiles. The Zentraedi ship was consumed with explosions and soon pieces of its hull were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.

I looked as the veritech fighters returned to Prometheus. I saw the black Marine veritech fighters of Knight Squadron.

oooooooo

I returned to my office. There were no new messages for me. I wondered if I should go back to my apartment to see if Jenna called my home number. I called Knight Squadron over the telephone.

"Hello, Knight Squadron," said a female voice.

"Is Lieutenant Jenna Murphy available?" I asked.

"Let me see." I waited for too many tense seconds. "No, she is at a debriefing with the commander."

"Thank God," I said. I hung up the phone. I worked on my article on today's battle.

ooooooo

I was walking to my apartment after writing my articles and following up on stories. Most of the stories I was doing was based on citizens' reaction to the news of being denied permission to leave. I remembered Jenna saying she would fly me back to New York. Would she do something so reckless?

I reached for the door and it was unlocked. Did a burglar break into my apartment? I opened the door and I saw a blond-haired woman in a Marine flight uniform, sobbing loudly.

"Jenna?" I asked. "What happened?" I knew whatever she would say would be bad news.

"Lani's dead," she said as she was crying.

"How?'" I asked.

Jenna cried for a few seconds. "We...we were in the air...there was this really fast enemy mecha...Lani was trying to get away...I tried to get him off her...It was too late...I saw Lani's veritech explode...and then the enemy mecha flew away."

I sat on the bed. She then held me and buried her face in my chest, sobbing uncontrollably. 


	13. Message to Home

EARTH SAYS NO! MACROSS CITY TO REMAIN ON BOARD SDF-1

That was the headline in the Macross Gazette the day after the crew announced that the residents of Macross City will not be allowed to leave the ship. I wrote the feature article, getting statements from Macross City residents and SDF-1 crewmen. That issue also featured a scathing editorial by chief editor Jake Austin.

I also wrote an article on the recent battle with the Zentraedi. UN Spacy Lieutenant Rick Hunter was listed as wounded. The military did not release the names of the dead pending notification of next of kin, although I already knew what happened to UN Space Marine Lieutenant Lani Hart.

I was sitting in my office that morning, having had breakfast. I woke up alone; Jenna must have left in the middle of the night to go back to her quarters in the officers' barracks. I was reading through some notes and leads when the telephone rang.

"Hello," I said. "Associated Press, Macross City office."

"This is Lin Kyle," said the voice. "I flew in with my cousin Minmei when she returned from Japan."

"Do you want to issue a statement? An interview?"

"I just became her manager. And we have a really big project coming up."

oooooooo

I met Kyle in his office which was not far from my own office. The office had a poster of Minmei with her hair done in buns and wearing a red dress, as well as the usual office furniture and equipment.

"I just met with some filmmakers," said Kyle, sitting behind his desk. "We're gonna shoot a movie."

"Here?" I asked. "In Macross City. In the SDF-1?"

"There are parts of the ship that haven't been explored," said Kyle. "I spoke with Public Works yesterday and we were planning to expand Macross City. I have full support from City Hall."

"What if we are relocated?"

"We'll deal with that. Besides, those fuckers at the UN declared all of you dead. They don't want us here."

"What's the title of the movie?" I asked.

"Small White Dragon," said Kyle. "Minmei and I will appear in the series. It was the brainchild of a screenwriter who came to Macross City to see the launch. I won't tell you the plot; I can invite you to a shooting of the movie."

"I would like that, Kyle," I said. I extended my hand. "I hope to do business with you. I can get you publicity."

ooooooooo

That evening, there was a memorial service for Marine First Lieutenant Lani Hart. It was in a chapel located a few blocks from City Hall. Members of Knight Squadron were in attendance, as well as pilots from other squadrons, other marines and crewmen, and some of us civilians. I saw a picture of Lani Hart, a woman with brown hair reaching the shoulders, framed by a wreath of flowers.

"Lieutenant Lani Hart was a fine pilot and a fine officer," said Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett. "Her wingmates loved her and could count on her and respected her. She was dedicated to protecting her wingmates, the crew of the SDF-1, and the people of Macross City. I , I wish could say something that would comfort her family and others who loved her. There is no rhyme or reason to this. All we can do is never forget her. She was in our lives, and that can not be taken away from us."

Then they played taps. This would be the only memorial service, as there was no body to bury. Jenna and the other pilots saluted, while I put my hand over my heart.

"I'll hand Lieutenant Hart's files to you personally," said Colonel Beckett. "You're the only person here who can write an obituary that can do justice."

"I've had a lot of practice the past year," I said.

"Your writing is as much an inspiration as Minmei's singing," said Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker, the commander of Skull Squadron. "I've read what you wrote about the pilots I lost. It's one of the few things that inspire me to fight on."

Beckett and Fokker then speak to each other. I look and see Jenna.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"I can't believe she's gone," replied Jenna.

"If you want to talk about it."

"No, I don't want to talk about it. I...I just want her back."

"I wish there was something I could say to help."

"There's nothing you can say! You're just talking to me so you can write a stupid story about her!"

Jenna then ran away. I kept looking until she ran to the right and disappeared from view.

"She needs time," said Katie Taney, putting her hand on my shoulder. "I also want Lani back."

oooooooooo

I continued working for the next few days. Jenna never came by to visit or even left messages on my machine. I became worried. I hoped she did not do something stupid, like taking the veritech for an unauthorized flight and crashing it into a mountain.

In the meantime, a new steakhouse opened. This was the first steakhouse to be open since the SDF-1's first voyage into space. Since we were getting meat from outside, meat has become more plentiful. I went to the steakhouse and ordered a sirloin steak. I wrote an article about it, interviewing the customers, employees, and the owner. My article on the steakhouse appeared on the left column of the front page of the Macross Gazette. I noticed that Ben Dixon fellow, the guy who escaped from the Zentraedi ship and told me they had four million ships after I got him plastered. he ordered a giant medium rare sirloin steak and he told me that the steakhouse was a dream come true. In the meantime, McDonald's, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and other fast food places serving meat all opened franchises in Macross City.

I haven't spoken much to Jenna these days. Every time she answered the phone, she would say she's fine and that she's really busy. I wondered what she was busy with, since the Zentraedi haven't attacked.

I went inside the disco. The disco plays old school music from the '70's and '80's. the place opened a year ago. I would sometimes come here with Jenna and her friends.

The place was not very busy. There were a handful of people dancing.

A woman called out my name. I turned and saw Katie Taney.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"Fine," said Katie.

"Is Jenna all right?" I asked.

"She's withdrawn herself," said Katie. "She's been volunteering for double duty shifts. She just stays in her quarters after she gets off. She doesn't talk to anyone unless it's work related."

"I guess she hasn't gotten over Lani's death."

"Lani's death affected me a lot too. But I guess she took it harder than I did. I guess because she feels guilty for not being able to save her. She saw Lani's fighter get blown up. We all heard her telling us about the bandit on her tail, and Jenna was the closest to her."

"Maybe she just needs time," I said. "A few years ago, a guy named Ned worked in my New York office. He went to Sara Base on mars for a story. He was killed in a terrorist attack that destroyed the base. some of the people in my office were good friends with him. They're going on with their lives. They still miss him. Too bad I never got to meet him. Jenna needs to know that there are people who care about her and love her."

"I wonder what's wrong with those three?" asked a female voice.

I turned and saw three ladies who seemed to be good friends, sort of like Jenna and Lani and Katie. They seemed to be talking to these three men who seemed uncomfortable.

I recognized those men. I saw them on the Daedalus during the homecoming celebration.

"Hey, you guys," I said.

"You're the man pressing his lips against that woman," said the black-haired man. "Just like back on the ship."

"These guys are gay," I said to the three ladies trying to pick up those gentlemen.

"You know, that was a good article you wrote on Lani," said Katie. "I want to thank you."

"I miss her too," I said. "I just hope Jenna's okay."

oooooooo

Later that day, I went to the Bright Star Casino. I sat at the bar and ordered a drink from Vince. I told him about Jenna.

"It's just so tragic," said Vince. "I hope that girl can find some comfort."

"There is one another thing I want to do," I said. "I want to get a message out to my parents in New York."

"Claudia might be able to help you," said Vince. "Right, Claudia."

"There is something I can do," said Claudia, who was sitting two stools to my right. "I have graveyard shift tonight. You record your message and I can invite a reporter to do a story on the bridge graveyard shift."

"Tell me more," I said.

oooooooooo

I walked through the corridors of the bridge with my press pass. Claudia was able to get me in. I walked to the bridge where a Spacy policeman stood guard. I presented my press pass and he let me through.

"Hello there," said Claudia. She introduced me to the bridge people. "He will be doing a story on us. If you will all please leave. I want to speak with him alone."

"Yes, ma'am," replied the others. They left the bridge.

I looked around. I could see out into the Pacific and the starry sky above it. There were monitors and consoles for about every function on the ship.

"Do you have the message?" she asked.

"Here," I said, handing her a DVD that I burned in my office.

Claudia inserted it into a DVD player and played it back. It was me, dressed in a suit, telling people who I was, where I came from, and what happened to me.

"The whole world will know that the people of Macross City survived," said Claudia. "We can override radio frequencies. I'll make sure everyone in New York with a TV will see this broadcast. SDF-1 has the latest in communications equipment. Let me change the settings. all I have to do is press this button and your message will be broadcast over most of the world. The government won't be able to keep it quiet." Claudia pressed a button on the panel. "It's being broadcast now. The recording will loop and we will broadcast for five minutes." She then presses another button. "It's finished."

"What time is it in New York?" I asked.

"7 AM." Claudia yawns. "Time to get some sleep. I'm glad I don't hace to be upo late at night tomorrow. I'm looking forward to dinner with Roy. I'm going to make my famous pineapple salad. Maybe I can make you some someday."

oooooooooo

The next day, Lin Kyle invited me over to the set of "Small White Dragon". Lin Minmei was there too.

"I'm really excited to do this," she said. "This is my first feature role in a movie."

"We're gonna have a lot of shooting to do, Minmei," sai Kyle.

"How is the movie going along?" I asked.

"We're right on schedule," said Kyle. "We just finished preliminary photography. We're now going to film the scenes. I fully expect five scenes to be done by...Where's Minmei?"

I looked and saw Minmei talking to Commander Fokker. Kyle then spoke to the commander. He then came back to the set, and Commander Fokker left.

"Minmei's decided to visit a friend," said Kyle. "I guess production will be put on hold. I bet Jan Morris never did this kind of thing."

ooooooooooo

Many minutes later, the siren blared There was an enemy attack. I hailed a taxi and asked the driver to take me to the observation deck. He was driving when he suddenly braked. I looked to the left and saw a huge destroid; it was green and it had a round shape and had two arms and two legs. I got out of the cab to take cover. I then look and saw a blue veritech battloid to the right. they were facing each other. That destroid must be Zentraedi.

The veritech battloid opened fire on the enemy destroid, knocking it down. It looked like the destroid was going to be destroyed. Then the Zentraedi destroid flew up and out into the sky. The veritech battloid gave chase, transforming as it flew out of an overhead hatch. People came out into the street, wondering what just happened.

oooooooo

The battle inside the ship was the top story on TV. TV reporters showed footage of the battle between the blue UN battloid and the Zentraedi destroid.

The phone rang.

"Hello," I asked.

"It's me, Jenna."

"Jenna? You haven't called in a while. What's up?"

"Did you see that? Did you see the news about the battle in the city?

"I saw it myself," I said. " I was there."

"That was him! That thing was what killed Lani. I know it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Lani's killer was inside the ship."

"Maybe I can talk to Colonel Beckett and ask if I could look at the combat recorders. Hello? Jenna?"

She hung up on me. I can imagine her sobbing in her bed, the wound in her soul reopened.

ooooooooooo

BATTLE INSIDE MACROSS CITY! ZENTRAEDI MECHA FORCED OUT BY VERITECH

That was the headline of the Macross Gazette. I wrote the feature article. I went into my office that morning, the newspaper in my hand. I read some of the other articles written by the staff writers of the Gazette. I was going to work on the article on the shooting of Small White Dragon when I got a call.

"Hello," I said.

"This is Captain Gloval," said the voice. "I read the obituaries you wrote. they demonstrate your respect and compassion."

"Thank you, Captain," I replied. Captain Gloval never called me before.

"There will be another one for you. Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker died last night of wounds sustained in combat. Come to my office at 1200 and I will give you a copy of his file."

And so I did.

ooooooooooo

After picking up Fokker's file from Captain Gloval and dropping them off at my office, I spoke to more people about Commander Fokker. There was one person who knew him well.

I visited Lieutenant Rick Hunter in the hospital. He had been injured in the battle in which Lani Hart was killed. I noticed he was in the same room that Vince was recuperating in when he was injured in the terrorist attack, and the same room that Jenna was recuperating in when she was injured in battle.

"Hi there," he said. "The doctors said I could be out by tomorrow. I'll get to attend his memorial service."

"Tell me about Roy Fokker," I said.

"He was like a big brother to me. I knew him all my life. My dad took him in. He was an orphan. He loved to fly. He gave me lessons on how to fly. He used to fly in the air circus before joining the military. He advised me to join the military and fly veritechs. Aside from my dad, he was my role model. I just can't believe he is dead."

"What did you know of other people's opinion of him?"

"I know one person who knows him better. Claudia Grant. He told me of how he proposed to her on Valentine's Day. I didn't get to see it because I was in a Zentraedi ship at the time. But someone recorded it."

"I don't think talking to Claudia would be a good idea."

"Yeah."

ooooooooooooo

Once again, I was at a memorial service. Commander Fokker was a well-known officer on the ship, so his death was big news. Most of the crew attended the service. Commander Fokker's body would be flown out of here. Fokker had no next of kin, so Captain Gloval decided to give the body to the air circus which had adopted him. We all sat in the chapel, and in the front was a coffin which revealed Roy Fokker. He looked so peaceful.

Jenna and I left the chapel. Everyone was saddened at Roy's passing. We looked and we saw Claudia, with her brother Vince placing his arm around her. We could hear her cry from feet away.

"It's so sad," said Jenna.

"I know," I said. "I don't know if words exist that can honor Commander Fokker. I can't imagine how she must be feeling."

"You might find out soon." 


	14. Dead Girl Flying

After Lieutenant Commander Roy Fokker's flag-draped coffin was put on a transport plane and flown away from the SDF-1 Macross, life settled into a routine. I heard from Lieutenant Ichijo of Knight Squadron that Captain Jenna Murphy has been putting on extra hours. He told me that captains have more stuff to do than lieutenants; I knew that she was still dealing with the grief over the death of her friend Lani Hart. In the meantime, I was covering Minmei's career. It was a more pleasant subject that the war.

One evening, I looked at the file cabinet and looked through the obituaries I wrote. There were a lot. Roy Fokker. Lani Hart. Sam Needles. Wan Chen. Frank Dunn. And then I added another obituary. Gilda Grace Kent.

Gilda Grace Kent lost her life in battle. But it was not in a battle with the fearsome Zentraedi. Instead, it was a battle with microscopic enemies. Cancer cells in her own body, consuming everything until they killed the body they were in. They were a lot like militant Islamic terrorists in that regard. The cancer was inoperable.

"She wanted to make the best out of what was remaining of her life," said her husband. "That was why she wanted to be present at the launch of the ship. When we found ourselves in space, she wanted to live long enough to reach Earth. And she did. She lived a long, full life. We have children and grandchildren. I do not regret having known her and I will never forget her and I promised her I would live the rest of my life as best I can, whether it's a day or a hundred years."

Her husband had a memorial service for her. Then the body was placed on a cargo plane and flown to one of her children for burial in Honolulu, Hawaii, not far from where the SDF-1 landed.

The day that the obituary for Gilda Grace Kent was published, the SDF-1 lifted off. For a moment I wondered if we were going into space. But instead, we were flying at about five thousand feet above the ocean. I went to the observation deck, whose food court was now open. I could see the North American coastline. We were going to fly right over a city! I wondered what sort of commotion we were causing on the ground. I also wondered if Captain Gloval would get into trouble for this.

In any case, I asked some people about this. Some were excited, hoping this means they will be able to settle somewhere, and others said that Captain Gloval was out of his fucking mind.

That evening I went to my office to type notes and work on articles. I had at least three articles on Lin Minmei and her new career in acting and singing. I had one article on a meeting of the Macross City Council.

The phone rang. "Hello," I said.

Jenna was on the phone. "I have great news," she said. "You're going home."

"What?" I asked.

"The North American Ontario Quadrant will allow the civilians to settle there. We're gonna go to Toronto. From there you can catch a flight to New York."

"Who told you that?"

"Colonel Beckett. Captain Gloval will make the announcement once we reach Toronto."

"This is great. Let's have an early celebration."

"Okay."

"At the steakhouse."

"It's a date!"

I hung up and smiled. I was going home, and Jenna seemed happy. She had not seemed happy in months.

ooooooooooo

Jenna and I went to the steakhouse. It looked like a diner. The tables and counters were made of polished stone. We sat in the leather seats. There were a few other people in the place. Then again, very few people know what Jenna and I knew.

After placing our order, the waiter gave us bread to start off.

"Aren't you excited about going back to New York?" asked Jenna.

"I'll have stories to tell," I said. "I'd better go start packing after we eat."

"This will be your last night on board. I'll probably be staying on board."

Then our food came. Two medium medium sirloin steaks. We started cutting the meat. It was just months ago that we were on a meatless diet.

"The next time you take a vacation, come visit me in New York," I said. "I can show you around. We can visit the Statue of Liberty, attend a concert at Madison Square Garden or Carnegie Hall. We can have dinner with my parents in Queens. And of course, we can take a vacation to the moon to meet your parents."

"Sounds good," said Jenna, cutting a piece of her steak. Her mood seems to be less excited.

"Anything wrong?" I asked. "you were so excited minutes ago."

"I haven't seen you in a while," said Jenna. "I was busy. I mean, before I got off I was flying escort for the ship."

"I'd better give you the number for my home and office in New York," I said.

"Don't," said Jenna.

"What?" I asked. My heart was racing in dread.

"We shouldn't be together anymore." I could see a tear flow down Jenna's right cheek.

"We can maintain contact after I go back home. I travel a lot for my job."

"What happens if I get killed out there?" she asked.

I took a deep breath. "I think of that whenever you go out there."

"It's not a game. People die. People like Lani. Do you remember when Commander Fokker died?"

"It wasn't that long ago."

"For Lieutenant Grant, it was just yesterday. She was gonna marry him, for Christ's sake! She's been on as much duty as she can take. She's still torn apart over what happened to Fokker. It's worse than what I feel about what happened to Lani."

"We can't let these things dictate our lives."

She placed her hands on top of mine. "I love you," she said. "I don't want you to get hurt, and I don't want to be the reason you get hurt. But you shouldn't love me. One day, I'm going to die just like Lani and the others did. And you're gonna be one with this pain which will only get worse and worse until there's nothing left for you to feel. It would be better if we never met. Forget about me. Don't talk to me. It's not too late."

I looked into her eyes, which was a fountain of tears. The past year and a fourth had changed her. I could see her soul was worn down by all this combat.But there must be a way to restore her. "Jenna," I said. "I want to be with you, even if I knew you would die the next..."

"ATTENTION, ALL FIGHTER PILOTS!" said a female voice. "RED ALERT! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"

"That's me," said Jenna, standing up. "I'd better go out there. I'll probably be dead before sunrise."

She ran out the door. Three other people in uniform followed her; I did not get a good look at their faces. I went to the counter and I saw a giant sirloin steak, with one piece cut out.

oooooooooooooo

I reached the observation deck just in time to see the UN veritech fighters take off from Prometheus. Below was the urban landscape of Toronto. I saw the skull-and-crossbones fighter that Commander Roy Fokker flew. I wondered who was flying it now. I saw some black fighters take off. I wondered which one was Jenna.

Soon our fighters made contact with the Zentraedi fighters, and I saw fireballs. It was a typical dogfight; I never tired of seeing these. Our fighters swooped and banked and climbed and dove as they tried to destroy their Zentraedi foes and avoid their own destruction. I just hoped Jenna wasn't suicidal. She might end up endangering the lives of others.

Then I saw this greenish glow. I wondered what it was. Was it an enemy weapon or something?

Then I saw the Zentraedi cruisers, right here in the atmpshere, firing on us. The greenish glow repelled the enemy fire.  
It was a shield! Those Zentraedi must be pissed. They kept on firing and firing over and over again. The enemy fire just bounced off. This could be it. This shield could be the key to victory! The efforts of those who have fallen will not be in vain.

Then something went wrong. The lights went out, and the only thingk lighting the room was the greenish glow. Then the greenish glow turned blue. Then viuolet. Then white.

It was an overload. The enemy pumped so much firepower that the shield overloaded.

I guessed all that talk from Jenna about how I would feel if she died would become a moot point in seconds.

I could only stare, waiting for my own death. I wondered if this was how Lani felt, when she realized that she was going to be blown to bits.

The light became so bright that I relflexively shut my eyes. This was it. The journey I began when I stepped on that plane in JFK will now come to an end. There would be nothing left of me here except subatomic particles. Jesus Christ was fast approaching.

I looked around. I coukld see tables, a McDonald's, a New york Style pizza place, a Taco Bell.

I was still alive. I felt relief.

Then I looked outside and the relief went away. There was only desolation and ruin. The overload destroyed Toronto. There was nothing left. It was as if Toronto was never there.

Did Jenna make it back safely? I saw the veritech fighters come back to SDF-1. I decided to leave the observation deck.

ooooooooooo

I saw a bunch of TV camera crews at the hospital, so I decided to check it out.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

"Minmei's in the hospital," said a TV cameraman.

I stood by. I recorded the tragic battle of Toronto, and now I want to report the latest news on Minmei.

Lin Kyle came to address us. We all asked him about Minmei.

"I don't understand how, with all that's been going on, you people can be chasing after a star who passed out from a little overwork!" he scolded us. "Now forget that and let's find a way to make these military leaders to stop this war. This fighting is totally non-productive… There are no winners, only losers. We must get out of this destructive, inhumane, no-win situation at once."

His words struck me hard. I just saw the destruction of Toronto, the deaths of millions. And then there was Jenna. She shut herself off from me because of the war. Who fired the first shot in the war anyway. I remember hearing anti-UN sentiment, about how it was just a warmongering machine that propped up brutal dictators around the world just to collect tribute.

I walked up to him. "A word please?" I asked.

oooooooooooo

TORONTO DESTROYED IN ALIEN ATTACK! MILLIONS DEAD!

I worte the front page article for the Macross Gazette. We can see TV news broadcasts from the area. Pundits on Earth were blaming Captain Gloval and the SDF-1 for blowing up Toronto. Some even said SDF-1 should be turned over to the Zentraedi. After all, the Zentraedi have only been attacking the ship, while there are still terrorist factions waging war on the UN.

I also wrote an article of Kyle's statements on the war. He called the United Nations a country club for tyrants, gangsters, and thugs. He said the Zentraedi can't be as bad as some of the members of the UN. As far as he knew, the Zentraedi did not have slavery, unlike the Sudan.

Jenna did not call me. I called Knight Squadron and Lieutenant Wolfe told me Jenna made it back along with everyone else from Knight Squadron.

I later met with Katie at the Bright Star Casino.

"Jenna and I broke up last night," I said.

"I'm sorry," replied the veritech pilot.

"She seems to be thinking that she's gonna die tomorrow."

"I noticed she's been withdrawn. She keeps to herself now."

"I think I know why. It's what she told me last night. She figures that if no one cared about her, no one would cry if she dies. That was why she broke up with me, and that's why she's keeping to herself."

"So she's wrapping herself in a cocoon and never coming out?"

"It looks like it. It's such a shame. In a way, part of her, the part I fell in love with, is dead."

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Well, since my return to Earth I lost two close friends, friends I had since flight training," she said. "At least I have others to talk to. Vince, Ichijo, Wolfe, Dow, Lambert. Even Major Hayase can be tolerated."

"Do you think that one day she might do something like crash her veritech into a mountain or a Zentraedi cruiser?"

"No," said Katie. "She still performs well. She saved me last night. There was this fighter on my tail and I couldn't shake him. Jenna dove in and blew up the fighter before it could blow me up. We later managed to escape when we flew away from the barrier overload. If Jenna wanted to kill herself, she would have flown into the barrier."

"She killed a part of herself. A part that makes our lives worth living."

oooooooooooo

The next day, Lieutenant Rick Hunter, commander of the Skull squadron, informed me that Ben Dixon was killed in the Battle of Toronto. He came to my office to deliver a copy of Ben's files so I can write the obituary. He also told me where to find Ben's parents.

"I read your interview with Kyle," said the lieutenant.

"He had a press conference and he wanted to speak about the war," I said.

"What does he know? He never fought a war."

"Okay, Lieutenant," I said. "Tell me your opinion."

"I'm a Spacy officer, my opinions are property of the UN Spacy."

"I'll make sure to honor and respect him in my obituary," I said.

ooooooooooo

The next few days, supplies were flown in to the SDF-1 as it floated in the Pacific Ocean some fifty miles west of Vancouver. From what I heard from people, we were about to leave for space. None of us will be allowed to leave the ship. I spoke with Macross Gazette publisher Jake Austin and he told me his wife's pregnancy was coming along fine. From the looks of things his new baby may be born in space like Glenn La Belle was.

I watched as supply trucks moved in. In the meantime, I covered Minmei's career, getting information on her projects from her cousin Kyle. The production of Small White Dragon was going well, from what I saw during filming. I could not tell what the plot was though. I haven't spoken to Jenna since the Battle of Toronto. From what I heard, she devoted her entire time to drilling, even practicing in the simulators on her own time.

I stood outside the SDF-1 on one afternoon, breathing in the fresh air. Captain Gloval would deliver a press conference. I made sure to wear my suit, the same one I wore when I first went into space.

We all gathered at the press briefing room. Sapcy security policemen stood watch. The camera crews stood by.

Captain Henry J. Gloval entered the stage. He stasrts to speak. But he couldn't.

then Lin Minmei of all people appear. She gave a message which I would not forget.

"I don't understand anything that has to do with politics, but I do know that the only way we'll survive this is to pull together," said Minmei. "I think of the SDF-1 as my home now. We've all been through quite a bit, but look at how strong we've become because of it. I have more friends here than I ever did on Earth. You've been like a big family to me. Someday we'll return to Earth – we'll never give up hope. But for now, I'm proud to be a citizen of Macross City and this ship."

I was inspired. I hoped Jenna heard it; maybe she would change her attitude.

Then the announcement came. We would be taking off.

I sat down and I felt myself heavier. I knew the SDF-1 was flying up and up.

I won't give up hope.

I won't give up hope of getting back to Earth.

I won't give up hope of getting through to Jenna. 


	15. Pineapple Salad

BLASTOFF! SDF-1 NOW IN ORBIT AROUND EARTH!

That was the headline for the morning after the SDF-1 Macross left Earth. I wrote the cover article. I made sure to include every word of that speech by Lin Minmei. Jake Austin, the publisher of the Macross Gazette, was very pleased. His newspaper was sold out within two houts after hitting the newsstands. They actually ran out of paper and had to wait hours before more could come.

Aside from that Jake had other things going on. His wife was about to have a baby, and I was invicted to cover it. I made sure to scrub my hands before putting on the blue surgical gown. His wife was on the delivery table.

"Push," Jake said to his wife.

His wife replied with a scream.

"It's a boy!" yelled the doctor.

I watched as Jake Austin held the newest addition to his family. the baby was then weighed.

"Eleven pounds," said the doctor. "He's gonna be a big boy."

"His name is James," said Jake. "James Austin."

It was a good start to the SDF-1's second deployment into space. I wondered if James Austin would ever set foot on Earth.

ooooooooo

I learned in a press conference by Commander Ward that more Zentraedi cruisers folded to our solar system, in orbit around Earth's moon. They did not attack; they just seemed content in sitting there in space. I suppose Jenna was grateful, as she would have more to do besides stay in her quarters all day. Jenna changed her phone number so I could not call her. Lieutenant Wolfe told me that Jenna has been isolating herself from everyone. She eats alone in the officers' mess and she never goes out.

I decided to go to have some drinks. I too have been working a lot, covering news from the city, the SDF-1 crew, and Minmei. I try to make contact with the friends I have made. There was this loneliness within me.

I sat at the Bright Star Casino's bar. Vince served me a couple of drinks.

"Maybe you should move on," said Vince. "I mean, she wants to be alone, fine. Right, Claudia?"

"Right," said Claudia, who was sitting two stools to my left. "I'm so glad that Vince and Lisa and Kim and Sammie and Vanessa are there for me. That poor girl is gonna go nuts."

"I guess she doesn't want to deal with it," I said. "She thinks that if no one cares for her, no one would be hurt if she died, and if she doesn't care about anyone, she wouldn't be hurt if they died. She actually told me I'd be better off if I never met her." I downed another drink. "She did not want me to experience the pain of losing someone I loved very much- as if I didn't already lose her." I began to think. "Maybe she was right. I wish I never took that stupid assignment. Then I wouldn't be here; I'd be back in New York."

"Cheer up," said Claudia. "There are tons of women on this ship. You don't have to be alone."

"Okay," I said.

"She's a fucking fighter pilot, what do you expect?" asked this man. I looked and saw that this man was Lin Kyle, sitting two stools to my right. "She did you a favor, man. She's gonna die anyway. It will never work out. My cousin Minmei's in love with this fighter pilot. One day, he's gonna die and she will be broken and she won't be able to work. Trust me, man, you're better off without her."

"Whatever," I muttered.

"I'd better go get some sleep," said Claudia.

"Uh, Claudia," I said. "I know that you miss Commander Roy Fokker. Do you regret ever knowing him? Do you think you'd be better off if you never met? Do you wish you never met him so that you wouldn't have gone through all that grief?"

"Never," said Claudia. She stood up and left the casino.

oooooooooo

The next morning, I went to my office after the breakfast to review my articles and notes. I saw Lieutenant Claudia Grant standing in front of the door.

"I wanted to see you before I started my shift," said Claudia.

I unlocked the door and we both entered my small office. I sat behind my desk.

"So what's up?" I asked.

"I read your obituary of Roy," she said.

"I hope you didn't find it offensive."

"It was inadequate," she said. "It didn't tell the whole story. It didn't mention me."

"I thouhg tit was a bad idea to interview you at the time."

"And it was. But now I'm ready. Could you meet me at the Variation Tea and Coffee Shop at about 1800? That's 6 PM."

"Sure, I'm free," I said. "It's not like I have a date or anything."

And so that was what I did.

ooooooooo

Claudia and I ordered coffee. I put creamer and sugar into my coffee as I sipped it.

"Tell me about Commander Fokker," I said.

"Where do I begin?" asked Claudia. "I suppose I could start at the beginning. It was a few years ago. We were younger than you are now. We were both stationed at a UN Spacy airfield. He was a fighter pilot- veritechs were not being deployed yet, and I was an ATC officer. The United Earth Government had already been established, but there were factions that wanted to destroy the UN. He kept trying to pursue me, leaving me little presents. One time Roy was gonna pick me up on a date and he was accompanied by three women."

"Yikes," I said. "I find it remarkable you even got together with him!"

"I look back and sometimes I wonder how that was ever possible. One day he told me these words. These girls mean nothing to me. He loved me. From that point on, we were dating. I don't know what happened to those three girls; maybe they're on Earth. I wonder if they knew what happened to Roy."

"When did Roy start flying veritechs?"

"He was selected as a test pilot. He told me that this robotech thing is in the blood. The flights for fighter mode were conducted in the Macross City Air Base; the test flights for guardian and battloid were conducted somewhere in Alaska. Skull Squadron was created the day the VF-1 began operational deployment, a month before the launch. Roy was a hardass on duty, but once he's off duty he's a real softie. He's so sweet and kind. I'm just glad he stayed that way instead of becoming bitter and withdrawn. He actually wept for every pilot he lost. I was there for him, and I wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Thank you, Claudia," I said.

"You know, the night he died, I made pineapple salad for him. He never got to eat it. I ate the whole thing after there were no more tears to cry. I want what I felt for him to be recorded, so that people can read about my story long after we both join Roy."

"I'll stay up all night writing this article if I have to," I said. I got up, leaving behind my enpty coffee mug, and I headed out to the street.

I looked and saw a blond-haired woman in a red blouse and blue jeans. the outfit looked familiar, as well as her height and build.

"Jenna," I said.

She just kept walking.

ooooooooooo

The Macross Gazette published my article on Roy Fokker. They were not the only ones, other newspapers sprang up in competition. Once again, the Gazette was sold out along with the other papers. Lieutenant Rick Hunter called me from his office thanking me for writing the article.

"I will always keep this article with me," he said. "Someday, I will share it with my children so they will know about my big brother."

I continued to work on other stories. I went to the City Hall for a press conference by the mayor, and I asked Lin Kyle about the update to the movie. That evening, I went to my office to review notes and articles before I had dinner.

"Hi there," said Claudia. she was holding something, a styrofoam bowl.

"Did you want to add anything else about Roy?" I asked.

"No, I just wanted to thank you for your article. I'll always keep it. You know, Vince is dating Jean."

"Who?"

"She's the nurse that took care of him when he was wounded in last year's terrorist attack."

"I can never forget it." After all, I was arrested in connection with that attack.

"Here's some pineapple salad. This is what Roy was looking forward to eat before he died."

I took the pineapple salad from Claudia. "Thank you," I said.

"Just make sure you eat it before you die."

"I will," I said.

Claudia then walked away. I went into my office and ate the pineapple salad as I finished up my day's work.

ooooooooooo

I continued living and working in Macross City. The enemy made a few attacks, but it seemed they were testing our defenses and not trying to destroy us. I came to visit Jake Austin, whose baby had just come home.

"Jim's already gained six pounds," said Jake.

I looked at the baby. He had a flat nose, a full head of brown hair, and brown eyes. "He's cute," I said. "He's probably gonna be a heartbreaker when he grows up."

ooooooooooo

A few months after leaving Earth, something happened.

It would be the first and only time Jenna Murphy ever struck me.

I was playing the veritech fighter arcade game on evening after work. I managed to score some kills. Of course, this place was frequented by veritech pilots. I didn't see Jenna come here though; she preferred to fly the simulators.

"Hey there," said this bespectacled man with blue dyed hair. I recognized him as Max Sterling, the pilot who escaped from the Zentraedi warship seven months ago."

"Hi," I said. "Do you want an interview?"

"How about we play against each other?" he asked.

"Sure."

And so we did. I was operating the red veritech, while Max Sterling operated blue. We then battled. I kept chasing after him and firing on him. I would get him in my sights, but he would just barely get away. We did this for a minute. I looked and I was almost out of ammo.

"There you are," I said. I was gonna line Sterling in my sights.

Then his fighter disappeared. I wondered where it went.

Then the GAME OVER message appeared.

"You were just playing with me," I said.

"Well, I did have training and experience," he replied. "If you flew veritechs in combat for more than a year, you'd have experience."

I then saw a bunch of people from Knight Squadron arrive. I recognized Katie and Lieutenants Wolfe and Ichijo and Corporal Dow and there werwe a few people whom I was not familiar with.

And there was one person whom I was very familiar with.

Jenna.

"Hi there," I said. "I haven't spoken to you in months. How are you doing?"

"Fine," she said. "I've been busy."

"So you are finally going out."

"They insisted I come along. These machines are not as good for training as the simulators."

"there's more to life than working," I said. "You should talk to Vince sometime. He's dating Jean."

"That's great," said Jenna. "But the simulators won't feel pain when I get killed out there. Neither will strangers. Vince is a great guy and he's happy and I want him to stay happy. I already have a family to grieve over me, I don't want my death to cause grief for anyone else."

"hey Jenna," said Katie. "This is Max from Skull Squadron."

"Hi," said Max. "Lieutenant Max Sterling, Skull Squadron.

"Captain Jenna Murphy from Knight Squadron," she said. "You're the guy that escaped from the Zentraedi ship."

"That's me. Your friend Katie told me you needed to cheer up. Why not play a game with me?"

"It will be a good training exercise," she said.

So Jenna and Max started playing against each other. Jenna was good, much better than I was. Katie and the others of Knight Squadron cheered Jenna on.

"You scored a hit," said Max. "But I'm still in the game."

The two continued playing, and it lasted a lot longer than my game with Max. Knight Squadron was cheering. I saw members of Skull Squadron, and they were cheering for Max.

Then the game was over.

"Looks like Sterling won," said Lieutenant Ichijo.

"Skull Squadron rules!" yelled a Skull pilot.

"You're good," Max said to Jenna. "Listen, your friend Katie told me about what happened to Lani Hart. She told me you were shutting everyone else out and you even broke up with your boyfriend because of this. She asked me to talk to you. Maybe someone who knows what you're going through would..."

"How could YOU possibly know what I am going through?" Jenna asked angrily. I never saw her this mad. "LANI WAS MY BEST FRIEND! I SAW HER DIE! I HEARD HER SCREAM FOR HELP! HOW DARE YOU TELL ME HOW I FEEL! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND!"

I saw Jenna clench her hand into a fist. I walked up to her.

"Jenna, please," I pleaded.

Then I felt something hit me hard, and I fell down. I got up and I saw Jenna running down the street, sobbing loudly.

oooooooooo

Minutes later, I was sitting on a bench just outside the arcade. Lieutenant Wolfe was pressing an ice pack on my head. I can feel the coldness.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"I'd hate to be a Zentraedi pilot flying anywhere she is," I said.

"At least I broke your fall," said Max Sterling.

"Thanks," I said.

"I know how she is feeling," said Max. "I felt that way when Ben Dixon was killed by the barrier overload. For months I just kept to myself, wondering how I could go on, and why I couldn't save him."

"And how are you doing?"

"I still miss him. I didn't have any close friends other than Ben, so the others in my squadron didn't notice me shutting them out. But then I reached out to some of them, as well as Ben's parents. I knew they lost close friends too, not to mention the Dixons losing a son."

"Jenna thinks if she shuts everyone out, no one will care if she gets killed. She told me she did not want me to grieve for her."

"Ben wouldn't have wanted me to do that," said Max. "He would have rather grieved over my death instead of having never met me. I guess, I guess I feel the same way. Listen, none of us can make Jenna open herself to anyone. She has to do it on her own."

"Thanks for trying to reach her," I said. "A part of her died when Lani was killed. She will have to bring that part back to life." 


	16. Emotional Abyss

Over fifty people were gathered at the SDF-1 Macross's observation lounge. I looked and saw all sorts of people. This would be the first event of its kind. All of the people attending this event were well-dressed. They were sitting in cloth-covered tables with cards bearing numbers standing on them.

The event was called the Big Hookup. Available men and women from Macross City and the SDF-1 crew gathered to meet each other, hoping to find someone to date.

It went on like this. Each man was paired up with each woman for eight minutes. They spoke to each other. At the end of the eight minutes, they moved on to the next person. The whole event took more than three hours. I made sure to take notes. Covering the war was becoming tiresome, and I was glad I could cover this event.

Then the event was over, and the participants all gave their forms to the host. Each form continaed the names of the people they wanted to hook up with. If there was a match, contact information was exchanged.

"This is an efficient way for available people to meet and well not be available anymore," said the host. "This is being done on cities all over Earth and even on the moon's Apollo colony. This is the first time such a thing was done right out here in space."

I agreed. After all, not everyone gets a face-to-face meeting with a Zentraedi only to be rescued by a veritech pilot.

I spoke to Katie Taney, who attended the event with Lieutenant Jonathan Wolfe and Captain Landry from Knight Squadron.

"How are you doing?" I asked.

"Well, I'm still going out hanging with friends," said Katie. "And of course there's my job. This was refreshing after so many hours in the simulator. I guess you want to know about Jenna."

"Yeah."

"Well, she still has what passes for her life. After that incident in the arcade, she withdrew herself completely. She doesn't even eat in the mess hall; she just takes the food to her quarters and eats there. You know, I once wanted to ask her about her isolating herself from everyone. You know what she did? She told me if I conintued to ask her about it, she would put me in the brig for insubordination. She fucking pulled rank on me! If she doesn't want any friends, then that's that. From now on, I'm only gonna call her captain or ma'am."

I felt disappointed and sad. It was almost like hearing she was blown up by a Zentraedi fighter. "I hope you will be all right," I said.

"Thank you," said Katie. "I guess I'd better check to see if I will hook up with anyone."

There was no use trying to talk to Jenna now. I might as well wait until Knight Squadron informs me that she was killed in action. That would only be a formality, as she was mostly dead.

ooooooooooo

The next day, I was in my office when Lin Kyle entered.

"Hi there," he said. "I just wanted to inform you we just finished shooting Small White Dragon. We're now in post-production, editing and stuff."

"What will Minmei be doing?" I asked.

"Minmei's working on her second album. She's even writing a song. And of course there's the Miss Macross competition next month. She'll crown the next winner."

"I'd like an interview."

"Sure. I'll schedule it for tonight, unless you're budy."

I looked at my calendar. "No, I'm not busy."

"Listen, I'm sorry for what I said to you in that bar that time," said Kyle. "It's just too bad there's this pointless war."

"The Zentraedi keep firing at us."

"Actually, I spoke to witnesses," said Kyle. "The SDF-1 fired the first shot. Even your own article says so. They're not attacking Earth, only this ship. The United Nations are just a bunch of warmongers."

"I really don't give a shit about the UN," I said. "I just report."

"You should. I was a history student so I know all about it. The UN is controlled by four powers- China, America, Britain, and Israel. You know what happened in Taiwan?"

"I heard of Taiwan. It was settled by the Nationalist government after the Chinese Civil War in the 1940's."

"My family came from Taiwan. China never recognized Taiwan's independence. When the UN formed the United Earth government, China invaded Taiwan and executed the Taiwanese leaders, all with the UN's approval. After that, Israel invaded the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and exiled the Arabs. What the UN does is serve the interests of the power elite based in China, America, Britain, and Israel. They determine who will rule nations based upon how much tribute they can deliver. They have absolutely no problem with the Sudan practicing slavery. They have absolutely no problem with dictators torturing dissidents. The UN does not stand for anything except the egos of its leaders. Do you know why the SDF-1 was built?"

"For exploration," I said. "Earth's scientists wanted to push new frontiers. The SDF-1 project resulted in scientific advances which we benefit from."

"The UN wants more than to rule the Earth," said Kyle. "It wants to create an interstellar empire. They want to enslave aliens just like the slaves in Sudan. I hope the Zentraedi blasts the entire UN leadership into bits. The whole world would be better off."

ooooooooooo

The interview with Minmei was not as serious as my conversation with Kyle earlier in the day.

"The movie was really hard work," said Minmei. "I'm gonna work on some song lyrics."

"You finished a movie and now you immediately start working on a new album?"

"I don't like being idle. This is my dream and I'm pursuing it. Anyway, here are some words I came up for my new song."

"What?"

"There's no fight that we can't fight together. That's some of the words."

"What else?"

"I'm just working on it. I can't even imagine the tune the song will have."

"Keep working on it," I said.

oooooooooooo

There was another Miss Macross competition in December, just before Christmas. Once again, the people of Macross City tuned in. Lin Minmei was going to crown the next Miss Macross.

I watched as the contestants all gathered. One by one they were shown in their dresses. And then they were shown in their swimsuits. The winner was announced and Minmei crowned the new Miss Macross as photographers snapped photographs. The Miss Macross Contest was front page news the next day.

I took a stroll around Macross City. Most of the city was decorated with Christmas decorations. Many people were doing Christmas shopping. The Spacy had sent up cargo shuttles to SDF-1 to deliver manufactured goods from Earth and the moon; I suppose if seventy thousand civilians were being exiled into space, they might as well try to make us comfortable. I already had a Christmas list. I planned to buy gifts for Katie Taney and Vince Grant.

I saw a toy store selling all sorts of toys. I wanted to buy a toy for little James Austin, now about six months old. U went in there were were all sorts of toys for sale. The most popular toy was transformable veritech toys with little action figures. These were sold out, but then again they would be inappropiate for a six month old infant boy. Fortunately, there were veritech plush dolls designed for infants.

"I'll have this please," I said as I spoke to the cashier, a teenage girl. I paid her cash.

"I've been working all week," said the girl. "After Christmas rolls by, I'm probably gonna sleep in until New Year's."

oooooooooooo

I went to a Christmas party hosted by the Macross City Press Club, a club for reporters and news editors. It was held in one of the ballrooms. There werew at least five newspapers in Macross City. All of the reporters worked for local papers except me, who worked for the news conglomerate Associated Press. We were all finely dressed. Punch and hors' doeurves were served. I had the stuffed mushrooms grown right in SDF-1's hydroponic farm.

"Lunk's with his mother," said Jake Austin.

"Lunk?" I asked.

"His nickname," said Jake. "He's a big boy now- almost twenty pounds.

"I'm familiar with nicknames," I said. "He's doing okay, right?"

"Right," said Jake. "He cries a lot. Things will get interesting when he's a year old and starts walking."

"Children can be a pain in the ass at times. My sister Sally has a baby girl. The baby would be about that age. I can't imagine what Sally and her husband are going through."

"I really like your articles on Minmei," said Priscilla, one of the reporters.

"I have connections with her cousin and manager Lin Kyle," I said.

"That's cool," said Adam, a television reporter for the Macross Boradcasting System. "How did you ever get these connections?"

"I guess it started back when the Zentraedi first attacked Macross City before it was relocated inside the ship."

oooooooooooo

It was Christmas, and most of the stores were closed. I decided to go to the officers' quarters to pay a visit to Jenna. I hoped she had gotten better. I had not spoken to her in three months.

I walked along the hallway to where her quarters are. I saw the nameplate J. MURPHY. I noticed the door was ajar.

I opened it and I saw Jenna playing a video game that I did not recognize. I could see styrofoam plates and cups in the wastebasket. I saw an empty bottle of Absolut vodka and a empty carton of Minute Maid orange juice. I figured she was hitting the screwdriver.

"Hi, Jenna," I said. "I came along just to see how you're doing. I know it's been hard for you these past few months."

I looked into her eyes. There was absolutely no joy. No spark. No desire. It was like she was dead or something.

"She's been like that," said Katie, who was looking at me. "She just shuts herself in here after work."

I opened the drawers and I saw a photo album. I looked and saw pictures of Jenna and Katie and Lani. Apparently these were taken before their deployment on the SDF-1. There was a pciture of them in their flight suits on some air base that I did not recognize, and there was another picture of the trio on the beach, wearing swimsuits.

"That was taken in Australia," said Katie. "We decided to go over there in December because it was summer there. Ww had such a fun time."

"How do you deal with Lani not being around anymore?" I asked.

"Sometimes it hurts. But other times I remember the good times. Lani wasn't the first person close to me to die. I was blessed to have been her friend."

"This would be your second Christmas away from your family," I said. "How are you dealing with it?"

"Well, I did receive a message from them yesterday," said Katie. "They know I'm on board a ship orbiting the Earth. I got a video recording from my parents and brothers and sisters. I hope that next Christmas, I'll be able to spend it with them except on deployment. In only have three more years until my service obligation is over."

"I wish I could at least speak with my family," I said. "Liuetenant Claudia Grant broadcast a message from me to New York. I wonder if my family saw it or art least read about it in a newspaper. I don't know why the UN insists on cutting off all communication between Macross City and the Earth. Anything else going on with you?"

"I have a new boyfriend. We kissed under the mistletoe at our Christmas party. The squadron's okay. I learned that Major Hayase has a heart. Could you believe that?"

"Sure. And some people can kill their hearts."

"Well, I'd better go get some sleep. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too," I said to Katie.

I looked into Jenna's room. I saw her holding the controller, playing the video game with the blank, dead expression on her face.

I went to my apartment that night. I lay down in my bed and sobbed.

Jenna was gone.

ooooooooooooo

The next day, Kaite gave me the audio record of the battle in which Lani was killed. I decided to listen to it in my office.

"This is Knight Eight," said Lani. "I've picked up a bandit on my tail and I've taken a hit. I can't shake him."

"Don't worry, Lani!" yelled Jenna. "Turn to point oh-five. I'll take care of the bandit!"

"Thanks, Jenna," said Lani. "I.."

"LAAAANIIII!" yelled Jenna. "OH NO! Knight Three to Knight Squadron. Lani, Knight Eight, has tuned out."

I stopped the recording. I was moved to tears. It was so sad. There was no surprise that Katie was shedding tears when she copied the portion of the record.

"I wish I could do something to take away the pain," I said. It wasn't fair! aJenna was dying on the inside and I couldn't do anything about it. I felt so powerless and helpless.

That must have been how Jenna felt when she saw Lani die.

oooooooooo

I rang in the New Year in a street party in Macross City, just like I did last year. We all toasted champagne. Minmei hosted the celebration. Jake and his wife were with their baby, Jim "Lunk" Austin. I saw Mark and Andres La Belle with their year-old baby Glenn. I saw Vince and Claudia and some of their friends. I also saw Katie and her wingmates Lieutenants Wolfe and Ichijo and Captain Landry.

"Hi there," said this young man in a Spacy uniform.

"Happy new year," I said.

"I am Private Bryan Hart," he said. "That's Bryan with a 'y'. I was Lieutenant Lani Hart's brother."

"Oh," I said.

"I liked your obituary. I feel sad sometimes when I think of Lani, but other times it's okay. She was my big sister, you know."

"When did you join the military?"

"A couple of months ago. My parents were against it. I pointed out Lani wanted to protect us and that was why she flew out there. I asked them if they would protect me. When they said they would, I said I wanted to do the same for them. Anyway, I went through basic and then through security police training and now I'm a security policemen."

"Somebody has to drag unruly crewmembers to the brig," I said.

"Among other things," said Bryan Hart. "

This time, there was no Zentraedi attack on SDF-1 during the party.

oooooooooooo

Vince had the day off, so he offered to take me somewhere. I read the sign. Sharpshooters.

It was an indoor shooting range.

"Claudia introduced me to this sport," said Vince.

"I'm interested," I said. "I am a reporter, you know."

He and I spoke to the cashier. I saw many guns on display, as well as targets. I looked around and saw posters advertising handguns and rifles. I signed some forms.

"Here's your gun," said Vince. "A nine-millimeter semiautomatic Beretta. Let me show how to use the gun."

"Okay," I said.

"This is the slide," he said, sliding the top part back and forth. "The slide must be in the open position to load a magazine. We'll practice using the slide. Grab the slide." Vince held my hand and moved it. "You grasp the slide and push it to its open and close position." I did so, practicing with the slide. "Now you will learn how to load cartridges into the magazine. You do it like this." He put bullets into a pistol magazine, a small rectabgular object. "You try it."

I did. I could not put the bullets in. "I'm having trouble," I said.

"Try pushing the cartridge in," said Vince. "I'll show you." As I held the magazine, he put a cartridge under my thumb. He pushed down on my thumb with his. "See? You try it."

I put a cartridge on top of the first. I then pushed down. The cartidge locked into place.

"Very good," said Vince. "Now let's shoot."

So he took me indoors to the shooting range. I was wearing earmuffs and thick goggles. He placed the target on this hanger in one of the lanes. He then set the target back.

"Okay then," said Vince. "Wrap your hand around the grip. Then wrap your other hand around your first hand. Kepp your thumb away from the slide. Now push forward with your hips. See the sights? Line them up and point and pull the trigger."

And so I did. I heeard this loud bang and saw a flash. I heard a clinking sound as a cartridge was ejected.

"Again," he said.

I continued pulling the trigger until the magazine was empty. I looked took the box of bullets and lodaded them, with some help from Vince. I continued and continued until all the bullets were gone.

Vince used a lever to move the target up close. I looked and saw a pattern of holes everywhere.

"You need practice," he said. "We'll do this some other time. Make sure to visit me at the casino bar."

oooooooooo

Later that night, I went to the premiere of Small White Dragon, which starred Lin Minmei and Lin Kyle. I had witnessed some of the photography; I had no idea what the plot was. I was there along with most of Macross City. I was dressed in a suit.

I watched the movie. It was some kung-fu action movie set in China or something. Lin Kyle played this man who was fighting giants. He struck them with a bolt and he then jumped over three arrows flying towards him. Those editors did a good job, I thought.

I then interviewed some of the watchers.

"It was awesome," said this boy. "I liked it when he fried that giant with that fireball."

"It was totlaly cheesy," said this older man. "Why should the first movie made in space be this crap?"

Then the alarm sounded. The Zentraedi were attacking again.

I went to the observation deck. I saw the explosions as our fighters engaged the enemy's fighters and pods. I could see a Zentraedi cruiser fast approaching.

Then I saw a bright light. It must have been the ship's main gun. The Zentraedi cruiser was obliterated!

Then the alarm stopped.

ooooooooooo

Since Katie nor anyone else of Knight Squadron said otherwise, I assumed Jenna was still, well, still breathing. There wasn't much activity from the Zentraedi for the rest of the month nor in February. February would mark the anniversary of the ship's launch as well as the bombing of the casino.

There was a Valentine's Day party in the observation lounge of the ship. I went to the entrance of the observation lounge. I saw couples coming inside.

"Hi there," said Katie as she was going in with a young man dressed in a suit. Katie was wearing a red dress.

"I'm just checking out the scene," I said. "I thought a walk around the city would do be good."

"Well, we're going inside," said Katie. "I hope to have a blast."

I saw her disappear into the lounge. I looked around. Then I noticed Claudia entering the lounge, dressed in her green dress. I wondered why she would be here. I decided to go inside.

Most of the people in the lounge were grouped into couples, although there were a few unattached people there. Vince was tending the bar, as he did last year. I sat down at the bar next to Claudia.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here," I said.

"I guess I'm full of surprises," said Claudia, sipping her drink. "I guess I decided there was no use moping around in my quarters."

"It makes sense," I said.

"Listen, they're playing one of my favorite songs. I might as well dance."

"How are things going along with Jean?" I asked Vince.

"They're going great," he replied. "She had to work at the hospital tonight. But we're gonna have an evening together after her shift is over."

"That's great," I said.

"Claudia's dancing. Why don't you dance too?"

"Well," I said. I looked and saw quite a few unattached people dancing, including Claudia. "I might as well join them."

ooooooooooo

After the party was over, I decided to go to the Knight Squadron office. Someone mentioned that Jenna was on duty this night. Since she was not as withdrawn while on duty, I hoped I could get a word with her.

I entered the section of the ship where Knight Squadron's offices are located.

"I saw some of your moves out there, Dow," I heard Jenna say. "I'm impressed."

"I do my best, with a little help from you and Major Hayase and Colonel Beckett," said Dow.

"I'd better review the flight data. You'd better get some sleep. Report in at 1300 today."

"Yes, ma'am."

I saw Corporal Dow leave Jenna.

"Hi, Jenna," I said. "I heard you were on duty tonight and I was hoping we can talk."

"If you want an interview, call the office at 9," she replied. "Colonel Beckett or Major Hayase may be able to help you."

"I'm not here to ask for an interview. I just want to talk."

"Excuse me. I am very busy and I have a lot of work to catch up on. You can leave now, or I can have you escorted out of the office."

I looked into her eyes; there was this anger in her. I turned and walked away.

I went back to my apartment. I was such a fucking bonehead!

oooooooooo

The people of Macross City gathered in a candlelight vigil to commemorate the bombing of the Bright Star Casino a year ago. I remember all too well, for I had been arrested in connection with the bombing. Mayor Tommy Luan, Captain Henry Gloval, and Polcie Chief Scott Bernard were among those attending this vigil.

"Fellow citizens," said the mayor . "Today is the one year anniversary of the terrorist bombing of this casino by Abu Musab Salim. The bombing had nothing to do with our war with the Zentraedi; it was another attack in a conflict that raged on Earth before the SDF-1 arrived. Thirty-three people died. Today we honor their memories, remember their lives."

We all bowed our heads and held the lit candles.

Then Lin Kyle walked up and faced everyone to give a speech. "I wasn't on the ship when this place was bombed," he said. "But I know that the bombing was part of a war that is still being waged on Earth, a war that was being waged before we even heard of the Zentraedi. Why are we fighting the Zentraedi? It wasn't the Zentraedi that bombed the casino last year. We have to put an end to this war. More and more people on both sides are going to die like these thirty-three victims unless we can seek peace. And we are not going to get peace by bombing them, whether by dropping bombs from a plane or carrying bombs around the waist. I say we contact the Zentraedi and make peace negotiations. It's time to stop the warmongering. It's time to choose a better path than the casino bomber! Who is with me? Who is for peace?"

The man did have a point, regardless of the opinions he expressed to me about the United Nations. I guessed it would not hurt to talk to them at least, and hope they were more reasonable than Abu Musab Salim and his kind were.

Kyle's speech was printed in newspapers the day after the vigil. Editorials came out in support of peace negotiations with the Zentraedi.

Soon, events would occur that would change the war.

And change Jenna. 


	17. Defectors

One night in March, I decided to cover Lin Minmei's concert which was held in the Macross City amphitheater. She would sing some songs from her first album, as well as a song from her second album. I sat there, wearing my suit. Minmei then took the stage, wearing a red dress with as white trim at the bottom edge. The audience and us press as cheered.

She then sang her song "To Be in Love." As I listened, I then remembered that tonight was the second anniversary of my first date with Jenna. It was also a year ago that things started taking a dive, beginning with Lani's death. This time, her singing was becoming painful for me.

"Excuse me," I said to the reporter sitting next to me.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I need to take a walk."

And so I did. I left the amphitheater through the service entrance and was walking along the concrete sidewalk. I could hear her song being blared over speakers along the street. Maybe I can go to the Bright Star Casino. Then I figured out that her song would prpbably be broadcast over there as well.

"ALL VERITECH FIGHTERS, RED ALERT!" yelled a female voice, interrupting Minmei's song. "I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL! ALL VERITECH FIGHTERS, RED ALERT!"

It sounded like Jenna was going out there again. I looked back in the amphitheater in the distance. Then I decided I'd rather go to the observation deck.

"Taxi!" I yelled as I saw a yellow Toyota Tercel taxi.

"Where to, pal?" asked the taxi driver.

"Observation deck."

oooooooooooo

And so I went to the observation deck. I looked at the Prometheus aircraft carrier as I saw the fighters from Knight Squadron take off to meet the enemy. I could see many Zentraedi ships approaching us. Soon space was filled with fire as our fighters engaged the enemy's fighters and pods.

Despite the attacks from our fighters and the ship's laser and missile batteries, the Zentraedi ships kept getting closer and closer. I saw one of Knight Squadron's veritechs change into guardian mode and make a strafing run along one of the enemy destroyers, blasting the laser and missile turrets. One of the Zentraedi ships, the biggest in the attacking group, approached within a mile of the SDF-1 Macross, opening fire with its weapons.

Then I saw the Daedalus amphiibous landing ship fly right into the lead Zentraedi ship, thriust forward by the SDF-1. I have seen this Daedalus attack before. The Marine destroid unit would blow the enemy ship apart from the inside.

The Daedalus was withdrawn from the Zentraedi ship, leaving a gaping hole in the bow. But the ship was still in one piece. The hull must be tough. I wondered if the destroids managed to cripple the ship's systems; the destroids' missiles would surely cause heavy damage.

Then I heard explosions. I wondered if that was one of the enemy ships. Then I realized that the SDF-1 was in space, and space does not transmit sound waves. That must mean the explosion was coming from inside the SDF-1. I ran out of the observation deck to the streets of Macross City.

It was then that I saw the Zentraedi battle pods in the streets, blasting away at everything. It was like the day of the SDF-1's maiden voyage. I could hear people screaming. I could hear people dying.

This was it. The Zentraedi couldn't destroy us from the outside, so they sent their pods to wreck the ship from within. Destroids arrived from the base to do battle with the pods; they wear outnumbered by at least three-to-one.

I then saw a squad of Marines run towards me. One of them was carrying an RPG launcher, the others had rifles.

"The enemy is inside, sir," said the gunnery sergeant leading the squad.

"I know," I said.

"Sarge, one of the pods is heading this way!" yelled a Marine.

"Cover me," the Marine sergeant ordered. He pressed himself against a building and peeked around the corner. He then burst around the building and fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the enemy pod. The grenade made contact and the Zentraedi pod became a smoking ruin.

"We were trained to take on enemy pods in the event of a boarding action," said one of the Marines. "We're small, so we'd be hard to see."

"Good thing that they have thin skin," said another Marine.

"This is Little Leader to Control," the Marine sergeant said. "This area is free from enemy activity. Orders please?"

I looked and saw not one but four Zentraedi pods approaching us, all walking along the street.

"Oh shit," said one of the Marines. "We can't load the rockerts fast enough to take on four.

"I have four enemy pods heading in our direction," said the sergeant. He looked at his other Marines. "Take cover!"

I then saw the enemy pods squat down. The hatch was opened. Apparently the Zentraedi pilots were coming out to do some sort of job with their bare hands.

I saw a rope dropped down from the pod's cockpit, and then I saw people come out. People about the same size as us.

"Sarge!" yelled one of the Marines.

The Marine sergeant looked at the people who came out of the enemy pods. They were dressed in these robes. I wondered if they were some of our people who escaped from Zentraedi custody similar to what happened over a year ago.

"Don't shoot!" yelled one of the people, a man with black hair. "We surrender!"

The people that came from the pods all lay down with their hands on top of their heads.

"I have a situation here," the Marine sergeant said into his radio. "I need backup."

I looked at the Marine suad and these people who announced they were surrendering.

"This is Skull Leader!" yelled a voice. "What's the situation."

I looked and saw with white veritech battloid with a yellow-and-black trim. There was a skull and crossbones painted over the heat shield that covered the cockpit.

"Skull Leader, this is Little Squad," said the Marine sergeant. "These people came out of the enemy pods and told us they wanted to surrender. In English."

"Copy that," said the Skull leader pilot. "I'll stay here until we can transport them to the brig. Look out!"

I looked and saw a Zentraedi pod. It opened fire on Skull Leader.

Suddenly, something hit me in the forehead. One of the Marines came to my assistance.

"Are you all right?" asked the Marine.

"Owww," I said. I could feel blood trickling from my head.

"This is Skull Leader!" yelled the Skull Leader pilot. "We have casualties here. Send a medivac to Observation Road."

Soon I was put into an ambulance and taken to a hospital.

ooooooooooooo

When I reached the emergency entrance, I could see a lot of people. Many of them were in terrible shape. Doctors and nurses were treating the wounds and burns that these people suffered. I saw paramedics take someone straight to an emergency room. That someone must be in much worse shape than I was. I could hear snippets of conversation between doctors, nurses, and medics. My wound was not that serious, as they simply pressed a cloth to my head and then applied a bandage. I noticed that Lin Kyle was in the emergency room, with doctors treating him.  
"We lost another one," was something I heard too many times.

"Okay," said one of the nurses. "I think we can move you to one of the hospital rooms."

And so she did. As it turned out, it was the same room that Jenna was in during her recovery from injuries sustained in a battle a long time ago. I lay there in the same bed that Jenna lay in.

"We'd like to keep you overnight," said the nurse. "We'll schedule a scan for possible brain injury tomorrow morning. You're one of the lucky ones."

I lay down, with fluorescent lights lighting the room. I looked out of the window.

I could see burning and wrecked buildings. No part of the city was spared damage. I wondered if my office and apartment were still there.

"Hi there," said someone.

I looked and I saw Jenna, dressed in her flight uniform. "Jenna," I said.

"Are you all right?" asked Jenna.

"I'm still in one piece. I'm gonna stay overnight. They want to run a brain scan tomorrow." I lay down in my bed.

"You need to get some rest. When I heard the Zentraedi invaded the ship, I was worried. I wanted to go into Macross City to fight them off, but Colonel Beckett had us protect the ship to keep enemy reinforcements away. I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you're okay too," I said. "You and the pilots are not the only people facing destruction. All of us civilians are also in danger. But that's why you go out there. That's why Lani went out there. You both know the threat the Zentraedi posed to me and the others in Macross City."

Jenna bowed her head. "I'm sorry for the way I've acted," she said. "I just hope you can forgive me."

"You shouldn't isolate yourself. I still care about you. You're just making yourself miserable. Try talking to others."

"Okay. I guess I'll just have to take it one step at a time. By the way, we lost someone."

"Did you know him well?"

"No, he was under Captain Landry's command. But I guess Macross City lost a lot of people."

"That's right," I said.

"Do you mind if I stay here with you? You need someone to be here with you and I guess I could be here. I'll probably head back to base tomorrow morning."

"You need someone with you too."

Soon I fell asleep.

ooooooooo

The enxt morning I woke up. I looked around, seeing a table with a radio and an electrocardiogram monitoring my heart. Jenna was not in the room.

"You're awake," said a nurse.

"Was a young lady in here?" I asked. "She had blond hair and was wearing a flight uniform."

"I didn't see anyone in here when I checked on you an hour ago. But if she was in uniform, she's probably on duty now. It's time for your scan."

"Okay," I said.

oooooooooo

I ate a breakfast of corn flakes and drank water before my scan. I was put into this huge dark chamber. There was this buzzing sound and I felt some sort of dry heat. Then I came out.

"You should come for a followup a week from now," said the doctor. "There's no sign of brain injury from the initial scan; I just want to make sure."

"Okay," I said. "I'm sure I'll have the time."

I put my clothes back on and left the hospital. I decided to check my office, since it was closer to the hospital than my apartment. I could see burnt out buildings and piles of rubbles. Work crews were cleaning up the damage, which would probably take days given the scope. I could see the wreckage of Zentraedi pods and UN destroids scattered in the streets.

I finally reached the place and I looked.

My office was gone along with thew rest of the building. It most likely received a direct hit during the battle in Macross City last evening. There were construction crews picking up pieces of the building. There was no repairing my office; the remains of the building would have to be scrapped.

I continued walking through the battle-wounded city. I saw my apartment building. It was at least in one piece. When I drew closer, I could see scorch marks and broken windows.

"We just restored water and electrical power a few minutes ago," said one of the construction workers in my apartment building. "But telephones and gas are out."

"When will telephone service be back?" I asked.

"Tonight, I guess. Maybe tomorrow morning."

I went upstairs to my apartment and walked inside. Some books had fallen from the bookshelf attached to the wall. Otherwise, there was no damage.

I guess I'd have to work out of my apartment. I was glad I kept some backups of my articles inside a file cabinet I keep in the corner of the main room.

I still had my job, just as Jenna had hers. I went out to gather more data to write stories on the recent attack on Macross City.

From what I had read in the Macross City Gazette, in the issue with the headline "ZENTRAEDI INVADE MACROSS CITY! THOUSANDS KILLED!", Captain Henry J. Gloval had a press conference while I was in the hospital. He said that there were about three thousand people killed in the invasion. I heard that Mayor Tommy Luan would give a press conference in front of Macross City Hall. I attended the press conference with the other reporters. The City Hall did not avoid damage; there was a huge hole in the wall to the right of the front entrance, and the windows had been shattered. The building was closed until sufficient repairs could be made.

"As we all know, the Zentraedi launched an invasion of our city," said the mayor. "This assault resulted in the largest loss of life since the relocation of Macross City inside the SDF-1. I am currently working with Captain Gloval and SDF-1 Engineering and Security Departments to restore the city. We have already received emergency supplies from Earth.

"I am sorry to inform you that the Macross City Police Department had lost its chief, Scott Bernard. He was killed in the attack. My condolences go to his widow and his three children Helen, Jack, and Cody. We lost a lot of fine people yesterday. The best thing we can do is to pick up the pieces and rebuild our lives."

I looked at a woman and three children accompanying the mayor. That must have been Mrs. Bernard. I can feel sympathy for her.

ooooooooo

I later visited Jake Austin in the hospital. He was lying down in his hospital bed. I saw a vase of flowers sitting on the nightstand next ot the bad, while an electrocardiogram monitored his heart rate.

"Hi there," he said. "I'm glad you're still alive."

"I'm glad you're alive too. Are...?"

"My wife and kids are alive, thank God. I had at least three surgeries today. They're giving me all these painkillers."

"How are you currently?"

"I'm gonna need an operation to fully recover. The problem is that the SDF-1's medical staff aren't capable of the surgery. I'd have to go to Earth to get the operation."

"What exactly happened?" I asked.

"Debris hit me in the back and broke my spine. I could barely feel my legs. Doctors here can't fix it."

"Listen, Jake, maybe we can get back to Earth and you can get spinal implants or something. Or maybe the Spacy can fly a doctor up here to operate on you."

"Fat chance," said Jake. "I guess I shouldn't dwell on that though. I mean, I still have some more surgeries. I'll probably be in the hospital for months. At least you're on your feet."

"I'll make sure to come by and visit," I said to the Macross Gazette publisher.

ooooooooooo

The next morning, I looked in the Gazette for some office space. Rents have skyrocketed since there was much less real estate available for the time being. I heard the telephone ring; the city must have restored telephone service.

"Hello?" I asked, telling the caller whom I was.

"This is Captain Gloval," said a voice. "I have a special request for you. We have this situation here and we believe you can help. Please come to my office."

"Okay," I said. I looked out my window, seeing the reconstruction effort.

And so I did.

ooooooooooo

I entered Captain Gloval's office minutes later. It was a large office with an oak desk, a file cabinet, a bookcase, and a Sony television set. There were plaques hanging on the wall. The captain was sitting behind the desk. There was another Spacy officer with him, Lieutenant La Salle.

"Have a seat please," said Gloval. "What I am about to tell you is in the strictest confidence. You will be compensated for your favor."

"LIke what?" I asked.

"You will be paid a day's worth of a captain's salary, and you will get exclusive rights to publish what you learn if and when I decide this will go public."

"So what's up that you need a civilian like me?"

"Lieutenant La Salle and I have read your articles on the war. It was her idea to summon you here."

"You're a good writer," said La Salle. "And I know you have to ask the right questions."

"It goes with the job," I said.

"During the recent battle in Macross City, a squad of Marines had captured aliens," said Captain Gloval. "They were shrunk down to our size. Three of them spoke English and communicated to us that they want to defect."

"Defectors?" I asked. "The Zentraedi could change their size?"

"Apparently yes. Lieutenant La Salle, if you will."

"We'd like you to question the three defectors who could speak English," said the lieutenant. "Maybe you can find out something that they did not mention during the initial interrogation. I'd also like to find out if their stories are credible. The Zentraedi prisoners are under my custody, and I will arrange for you to speak to them one at a time."

"Okay," I said.

And so I did.

oooooooooooo

I sat in the interrogation room, with a Spacy security policeman standing inside, armed with a baton. They brought in the prisoner, who was dressed in a blue robe.

"What is your name?" I asked him.

oooooooooo

"My name is Konda," said the man with black hair.

oooooooooo

"My name is Rico," said the man with purple hair.

oooooooooo

"My name is Bron," said the big guy with red hair.

oooooooooo

"You are a Zentraedi, correct?"

"Yes," replied Konda.

ooooooooooo

"What was your position in the Zentraedi?"

"We were intelligence analysts," said Rico. "We were assigned to Breetai's flagship."

oooooooooo

"Breetai? What is that?"

"He's a Zentraedi fleet commander," said Bron. "We analyzed the data gathered by scouts and present the analysis to Breetai and his assistant Exedore. We even participated in scout missions ourselves. Breetai was one of the best fleet commanders, which is why Dolza sent him to capture the ship."

oooooooooo

"How do you know how to speak our language?"

"We've been studying your language for many days," said Konda. "Our brains were designed to learn languages easily."

oooooooooo

"What is the strength of the Zentraedi?"

"There are six billion Zentraedi troops," said Rico.

oooooooooo

"Six billion?" I asked. "Is that correct?"

"Yes," said Bron. "We have four million eight hundred thousand ships around the time we surrendered. Crew complements for the ships are about two thousand, and the Zentraedi command headquarters has one million personnel. We have tens of millions of Regult pods, Gnerl fighters, millions of Glaugs, and hundreds of thousands of Quadrano and Nousjadel power armor. We also have tens of millions of transport shuttles and re-entry pods."

oooooooooo

"Where is the Zenteaedi homeworld?"

"We do not have a home world," said Konda. "The Zentraedi headquarters is a huge ship, large enough to fit thousands of Zentraedi destroyers. Over a million Zentraedi are assigned there to provide support to the commanders or maintain and defend the headquarters."

oooooooooo

"What is the leadership of the Zentraedi?"

"The commander-in-chief is Gorg Dolza," said Rico. "He has a staff of four hundred to advise him on various matters and to provide administrative support. Under him are the fleet commanders such as Breetai."

oooooooooo

"What is the basic social structure of the Zentraedi?"

"The squad," said Bron. "Squads are organized into platoons, then companies, then battalions, then regiments, then brigades, then divisions, then corps, then fleets and armies depending on branch of service. We were in an intelligence squad."

oooooooooo

"What about families?"

"What is this thing families?" asked Konda.

oooooooooo

"Where were you born?"

"Born?" said Rico. "I guess I was born in a cloning chamber. We Zentraedi are cloned and modified for specific tasks. I was given increased brainpower so I can be an intelligence analyst. After I was born, I immediately started in a training squad before going into operational duty."

ooooooooo

"What do you know about the rest of the galaxy and beyond?"

"We know of at least a dozen nations, some with offensive space combat capability," said Bron. "We crushed almost all of them. But there is one particurly nasty enemy called the Invid. They inflicted more losses on the Zentraedi than any other enemy. We lost six hundred million Zentraedi to the Invid, and about eight hundred thousand ships. Last we heard, the Invid were still out there."

oooooooooo

"Who are your allies?"

"We don't have information on allies," said Konda. "We only gather and analyze data on our enemies' military capabilities."

oooooooooo

"Why were you trying to destroy the SDF-1?"

"Our goal was to capture it," said Rico. "I do not fully underatand the reasons, except as it has to do with protoculture."

ooooooooo

"Protoculture?"

"We don't know what it is, only that it's important to Breetai and Dolza," said Bron. "It has something to do with this ship, but we don't know. All we were assigned to do was to analyze the ship's defensive capabilities."

ooooooooo

"Where was the origin of the Zentraedi people?"

"We don't know," said Konda. "Dolza and Exedore may know."

ooooooooo

"Why are you small while other Zentraedi are giants?"

"We have resizing chambers which changes our size," said Rico. "That was how we became the size of Micronians."

ooooooooo

"Why did you defect to us? You know this is a great risk for you. It is very likely you could be executed as spies."

"We wanted to become part of Micronian society," said Bron. "You see, a year ago were were micronized and planted on board ship as spies to learn more about the enemy, about you. it was wonderful. We ate plant and animal tissue that tasted very good. We listened to music which strings sounds together to make Micronians feel good, like what the female Minmei does. There were males and females talking to each other. There was this thing called gambling, where you go into this place called a casino and you put coins into these machines and pull the lever and sometimes the machines give coins back so you can pull the lever again. So we and the others shrunk ourselves down to Micronian size and we drove a Regult into the ship when it launched its Daedalus attack. We got out and we surrendered to your soldiers. We want to live among you, so we can have food and music. We'll do whatever work you require of us if you let us live with you. I understand if you decide to kill us. We know how you Micronians deal with captured spies, and we know many of you were killed in the invasion of Macross City. But this was the only way we could come live with you."

oooooooo

I later played the recording of the interrogation to Captain Gloval and Lieutenant La Salle.

"Thank you," said the captain. "what is our opinion?"

"I think that the three English-speaking defectors want to live among us. They're willing provide whatever service you require if you let them live here. But there is a possibility that Breetai planted a saboteur among the defectors. The other defectors should be kept in custody until we can determine their motivations."

"We don't know their language," said Gloval. "It will be difficult to communicate with the others. I want to thank you for your favor. You may leave now."

ooooooooo

I walked along the corridor back to Macross City.

"This is an interesting part of my job," said Lieutenant La Salle.

"What will we do with them?" I asked.

"There was one thing I agreed with your recommendation. We should evaluate each of the prisoners on a case-by-case basis. We have to find out if they want to live with us or if they were here to sabotage the ship."

"What will happen to them?"

"Captain Gloval will make the decision. If we do reject their request to live with us, we will send them out of the airlock without a spacesuit. They're not POW's, they were caught out of uniform and are considered to be spies. And UN military policy allows for the execution of enemy spies at the commander's discretion."

I went back to my apartment, contemplating the recent events. The very fact that at least three Zentraedi would defect to us implied it was possible to have a peace agreement with the Zentraedi.

It would be a shame if Konda, Rico, and Bron ended up in the vacuum of space for all their troubles.

oooooooooo

I continued to cover the reconstruction of Macross City. The damage had been worse than the modular transformation two years ago. Somes of the buildings were too damaged to be repaired and had to be torn down. I got statements from survivors of the Zentraedi attack.

"We heard this alarm, asnd just before we got into this shelter, we saw these walking pods," said this boy.

"I looked out and I saw this, this thing with two arms and two legs and a lser on its head," said a girl. "It was shooting at the other pods. I don't know what for."

There was one bright spot. UN Spacy Private Bryan Hart was awarded the titanium medal of valor. He had rescued a small child who did not know where the shelter was even as the Zentraedi battle pods were blasting away at everything. The ceremony was held in a small room. His parents, friends, and superiors were in attendance like I was. Captain Gloval took the podium.

"For courage under fire during the recetn Zentraedi attack in Macross City," he started. "I hereby grant Private Bryan Hart, UN Spacy, the titanium medal of valor."

We all clapped, and his parents hugged their son.

"How are you feeling, Private?" asked Gloval.

"Fine, sir," said Bryan Hart. "Lani would have been proud."

"Who?"

"My older sister Lani. She was a Marine veritech pilot. She was killed in battle about a year ago."

"The medal is not a prize to be won, Private. It simply recognizes those of us who when faced with a challenge, rose up to the occasion."

"That's what Lani did."

The private and the captain shook hands as photographers took pictures.

oooooooooooo

The day after, Captain Gloval made a very important press conference. All of us were there.

"Hello everyone," said the captain as television cameras were trained on him. "A few days ago the Zentraedi broke into the ship and invaded Macross City. Three thousand people died. On that same day, about twenty micronized Zentraedi surrendered to us. They were shrunk down to size by a process not understood. They informed us that they wanted to defect to our ship and live with us. After days of interrogation, we decided to grant their request for asylum to five of them."

The others expressed shock; I was not surprised. I already knew in advance whom three of the five were.

"It is true that they were the enemy," continued Gloval. "Some of them may have killed those we befriended and loved. But they are not the enemy anymore. They wanted to stop fighting us, and become part of our culture. For all their lives, they have known nothing but war and destruction. They turned their backs on their old lives, to start a new one with us. This shows that a peaceful resolution to the conflict with the Zentraedi can be achieved. These people have no where to turn. We should accept them as our neighbors."

"The outside of an airlock would be a good place for them to turn," I heard someone mutter.

"Any questions?" asked Gloval.

"You said you granted asylum to five Zentraedi," said a reporter. "You also said there were twenty prisoners. What of the other fifteen?"

"Their requests are still pending," said the captain.

"Is there any concern that these are saboteurs?" asked another reporter.

"It is a primary concern, which is why we are reviewing the remaining fifteen. We do know that at least five of them have a genuine desire to live with us."

"Are there any restructions on their movements?" asked another reporter.

"They will be treated like defectors from any other enemy," said Gloval. "They will be required to report to the SDF-1's security police. They will be closely monitored for a time."

"Will they be settled on Earth?" asked another reporter.

"Not now."

ooooooooooo

I later went into one of the apartment buildings and went to Apartment 2A. The door was open. I saw Konda, Rico, and Bron inside.

"Hi there," I said. "I just wanted to pay a visit. I heard Captain Gloval's announcement."

"Oh, it's you," said Bron. "We were set up here by the crew after we were released."

"I just wanted to bring a housewarming gift," I said, placing a potted flowering plant on a windowsill.

"Housewarming?" asked Konda.

"It's a tradition. When friends move to a new place, we give gifts to them."

"Is that for us to grow food?" asked Rico.

"No, it's for decoration. It will make this place more homely. So what will you do for jobs?"

"We're teaching the Micronians how to speak our language," said Bron. "They're paying us a lot. We're also teaching the other two the English language."

"So you became teachers," I said.

"We're very skilled in learning languages," said Konda. "We can teach both Micronians and Zentraedi."

"How about we go to the casino so we can celebrate your residency in Macross City?"

And so we did.

oooooooooooo

We went to the Bright Star Casino. There were many people in here. I could hear the familiar clinking sounds of coins being paid by the slot machines, which ranged from the lever-and-reel devices to video slot machines.

"How about we play some blackjack?" I asked. "There are open spots at that table."

"Okay," said Konda. "Let's see what this blackjack is about."

We all sat at a table and we looked at the dealer, a woman with black hair.

"Hello everyone," said the woman.

"These three don't know how to play blackjack," I said.

"Well, first of all you buy chips. the mimumum bet is five dollars."

The three Zentraedis gave the woman cash in exchange for chips.

"I deal out the cards, and you choose whether to hit, stand, double, or split. If you beat me without busting, I win. I have to hit at sixteen and below and stand on seventeen and above."

So the dealer dealt out the cards.

"What do I have?" asked Bron.

"You have an eleven," said Rico. "I have a sixteen."

We all played our hands.

"You're giving us more chips?" asked Bron.

"That's what happens when you win," said the dealer.

oooooooooo

We played for a couple of hours. Konda, Rico, and Bron did not know what to do, since they did not know any strategies about blackjack. Still they maanged to keep some of their chips.

"is there something else to do?" asked Konda.

"We could have a drink at the bar," I said. "You can meet Vince."

So we went to the bar. Vince was working there.

"Hi there," I said. "These three are Konda, Rico, and Bron."

"Hello," he said. "I'm Vince. I'll be your bartender for this evening."

"Could you get us some beer?"

So he did. I mentioned to him where the three came from.

"They're Zentraedi?" asked Vince. "I thought they were giants."

"We have devices that can reduce us to Micronian size," said Bron. "We came and surrendered to your leaders so we can live among you."

"So you're not killing us anymore," said Vince.

"That's right."

"I say we have a toast to your residency status," I said.

"A toast?" asked Rico.

"It is when we raise our drinks in celebration."

"A toast to living with the Micronians!" said Konda.

Three women in Spacy uniforms approached- one had bshort black hair, one had red hair, and one had brown hair and was wearing eyeglasses.

"Where have you been?" asked the black-haired woman. "We haven't seen you around."

"We thought you might have been killed during the invasion," said the little red-haired woman.

I smiled. Those three would surely be surprised to hear about who these three men were.

oooooooooooo

The rebuilding of Macross City continued. I was certainly impressed with the efforts. All of the rubble was cleaned up. Construction crews worked hard to rebuild the shattered city.

But then there were shattered families who were emotionally wounded. Bricks, steel beams, and cement would not be able to provide relief. All they have is each other.

I decided to go to the observation deck's food court for dinner rather than cooking dinner myself. There were a few people eating. I could look out through the windows at the planet Earth. I decided to get a hamburger and a Coke from McDonald's.

I looked and I saw Jenna eating by herself.

"Hi there," I said as I approached. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not really," said Jenna, picking up a french fry.

"How are you doing?"

"I got an excellent fitrep from Colonel Beckett."

"No, how are you doing in your personal life?"

"I feel so estranged from everyone. I don't think anyone in my squadron wants to be my friend anymore. I'm not surprised, considering how I've been treating them for the past year. I just wish I could take it back. I came here to eat because I was tired of eating alone in my quarters. I hoped that at least eating in a public place, with other people around, would help."

"I can be your friend," I said.

"You know, Lani's little brother Bryan was awarded the titanium medal of valor," said Jenna. "He joined the Spacy a few months ago."

"I covered the award ceremony. Maybe you can talk to him about Lani."

"No. You know, the first few nights after Lani died, I kept replaying the image of her death in my mind. I saw that thing blow her to bits. I heard her crying for help. I told her I'd come for her. I was too late. It didn't help to see the footage of that same flying destroid that killed Lani battling in Macross City."

"Are you sure it was the same one?"

"None of the others like it flew like it. Ace pilots have their own flight style. I remember seeing the flying destroid chasing after someone from Skull Squadron. I knew it was the same one that killed Lani. I flew after it as it was flying towards the ship. They closed the hatch and I had to go into guardian mode and apply full reverse thrusters to avoid becoming splattered on the hull. Sometimes, I wish I could have saved Lani, or at least killed that flying destroid. I wonder if there was something I could have done differently. If I could have gotten there faster."

"The question is what can we do now. Lani's dead and we miss her, but we have lives to live. And I want to be with you." I looked into her blue eyes. "We can be together again. I remember how happy we were together. We can build a future." I put my hands on her hand.

She pushed my hands away. "It won't work," she said. "I'm not the same person you fell in love with two years ago. The past two years, the war, Lani's death, have all changed me."

"You're not the only person that changed, Jenna," I replied. "I changed too. Before I flew to Macross City, I ddin't think of my family as anything important. Now that I have not spoken to them for over two years, I would want to see them again. But here on this ship, I didn't islloate myself. I have Katie and Vince and Jake. And I had you. And I want to have you again."

"I just need some space. This is very difficult for me." She stood up.

I looked to the window. I could see Earth and space. Space was something in plentiful supply.

I then saw a bunch of explosions in space. There was another battle. The ship's alarm had not sounded. It might have been an offensive from us. I noticed Jenna was looking at the battle as well.

The I saw some spacecraft launch from Prometheus's flight deck. I looked and I saw it was a veritech fighter with some sort of boosters attached to it. It flew right to where the explosions were. Soon the explosions stopped. I saw the new modified veritech fighter come back to the Prometheus.

"NO, I'M NOT GOING TO PRESS MY LIPS AGAINST HIS!" I heard Jenna yell. "AND I'M NOT GOING TO PRESS MY LIPS AGAINST YOURS!"

I looked and saw Jenna leaving a group of five men. I looked and I saw three of them were Konda, Rico, and Bron.

"Now I understand why we Zentraedi kept male and female separate," said Bron. 


	18. Enemy Bride?

The next day, I had a scheduled interview with Colonel Maistroff, the commander of SDF-1's Marine detachment. We met at his office.

"Good morning, Colonel," I said.

"Good morning," said the colonel. "We will have one hour for my interview. I am a very busy man."

"How did you get into the UN Space Marines?" I asked.

"I had an impressive record. I graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and became an F-14 Tomcat pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps. I flew many combat missions during the Global Civil War. I resigned my commission ten years ago to take an appointment as an officer in the UN Space Marines."

"Why did you quit the US Marine Corps?"

"There was no opportunity for advancement there. There were many more opportunities for adancement in the UN forces. With the United Earth Government in charge of defending Earth, the U.S. military was being scaled back for homeland defense, just like other national armies. I later became a test pilot for the veritech VF series. I was a major at the time. Angus Beckett and Roy Fokker were among the first test pilots of the VF's. Quite a few of us gave our lives to test the limits of the VF's. Their lives were not in vain, for we learned how to make them better, saving more lives. I later took command of Knight Squadron as a lieutenant colonel. Knight Squadron was one of three Marine veritech fighter squadrons. Five Marine test pilots, including me, now had the task of training other Marines to fly veritechs and come back alive. It was long, hard work but I was glad to see the results pay off in our battles with the Zentraedi. When the veritechs were put into operational deployment, I was promoted to colonel and I was to be put in command of the regimental Marine detachment that was to serve SDF-1 Macross on its first voyage to outer space. I insisted that Knight Squadron be assigned to serve on board SDF-1 as one of its veritech squadrons, to provide support to the Spacy squadrons and the Marine destroid and infantry battalions."

"What is your opinion of the recent attack on Macross City?"

"My Marines shone in that battle. We suffered more losses there than in the Battle of Sara Base. But my men rose to the occasion. They saved a lot of lives. I recommended some of them for promotion and I awarded them medals for their service."

"What do you think of Captain Gloval accepting the Zentraedi defectors as residents of Macross City?"

"I do not reveal my opinions of military policy to the public," said Maistroff. "I will note that the decision was made by Captain Gloval alone, without any instructions from Earth Defense Command. I submitted my opinion on the matter to the EDC; as commander of the Marine detachment, I report to EDC and one of my duties is to provide policy recommendations."

ooooooooooooooo

That afternoon, I decided to go to the arcade. It was one of my pleasures, along with gambling in the casino or shooting at the range with Vince and some of his friends. There were usually some veritech pilots in the game, since the game called Battloid Attack was a simulation of what they did in the field.

I noticed that some pilots from Knight Squadron was there, including Jenna.

"Hi there," I said to her.

"Hi," she replied. "Katie told me she and some others were coming here, and I decided to go along."

"I thought it might do her some good this time," said Katie Taney. "I just hope she doesn't hit you like she did last time."

And so we played some games. I went to the arcade's upper level and I put some money into this game called Crazy Taxi, where I basically played as a cab driver who was supposed to drive impatient people to their destinations, generally breaking every traffic rule. After I was done, I noticed some of the Knight Squadron pilots were crowded around one of the Battloid Attack machines. I looked at rthe holographic image and saw a veritech blasting away Zentraedi pods.

"Check that girl out," said Katie. "She's really good."

"Is she in your squadron?" I asked.

"No," replied Lieutenant Jonathan Wolfe. "Looking at that, she must be a veteran pilot."

I looked at the player, a green-haired lady wearing a yellow scarf. She was flying a red veritech as it blasted enemy pods and fighters. She was very skilled. I wondered how she would do in a game with Jenna. The points piled up and the machine paid out coins.

She played for a while, then this blue-haired young man sat at the machine.

"Who's that?" asked Lieutenant Wolfe.

"That's Lieutenant Max Sterling from Skull Squadron," said Lieutenant Ichijo. "He's really good...for a Spacy pilot."

"I heard he escaped from a Zentraedi ship," said another Knight Squadron pilot.

I could hear cheering from pilots of Skull Squadron, so I decided to watch. Lieutenant Sterling was flying the blue veritech, while the lady was flying red.

"Whoops! I guess I won that skirmish," said Sterling. "Why don't we go to Level A?"

"Yes. Let's go onto to Level A," said the lady. "I imagine that would prove quite interesting."

I then saw their game put on the main screen. the red and blue veritechs were flying at each other.

"Look at Max go!" yelled someone.

"That guy is da bomb!" yelled Lieutenant Ichijo.

"That looks familiar," said Jenna.

The game went on for a while, longer than Jenna's game with Lieutenant Sterling had gone. But in the end, the red veritech fell apart and Lieutenant Max Sterling won the game. The members of Skull Squadron congratulated him. I saw the lieutenant hold the lady's hand.

"My name is Miriya and I presently don't have a phone number," said the lady, who sounded mad at losing.

"Then could you meet me at the park at nine o'clock?" asked Sterling.

"Oh whatever you want! Just let me go!" said Miriya, who then promptly left in a hurry.

"Well friend, that was some beautiful lady you just made a date with," said one of Lieutenant Sterling's wingmates. "I hope she plans on showing up."

"She'll probably stand him up," said Lieutenant Ichijo.

"I know that look when I see one," said Katie. "I hope Sterling's not dumb enough to actually show up."

Sterling went out the door, and Jenna followed him out. I remembered what happened the last time they spoke. I went out there and I saw them talking to each other.

"It's me, Captain Jenna Murphy from Knight Squadron," she said to him. "Last time we spoke, I said some very unkind words. I know you were trying to make me feel better. I want to apologize for your words. I know they hurt you; I know you also lost someone close to you. I know that we'll be flying out there against the enemy, and we should at least be on friendly terms if we're fighting alongside each other."

"I forgive you," said the pilot. "Sometimes I still miss Ben. Well, I don't think that girl is gonna show up at the park. She seemed pretty mad. I should just go to the mess and have a nice quiet dinner without distractions."

"You should go anyway. We women could be like that. At least give it a try. You gave flying veritechs a try, why not her?"

He smiled. "You're right. I should show up. The worst thing that can happen is her not showing up."

ooooooooooo

Later in the evening, Lin Kyle was released from the hospital. He was wearing a purple suit on his body and a bandage on his head. The other reporters and I were there at the lobby. Minmei was sitting next to him.

"Minmei, is it true you've been helping Kyle recover right beside his bed for the whole week?" asked a reporter.

"I wouldn't put it that way," said Minmei.

"Rumor has it that both of you are about to get married?" asked another reporter. "Have you got anything to say about that?"

"Absolutely untrue," she replied.

"Can you tell us how your ex-boyfriend reacted when you told him about those marriage plans?" asked another reporter.

"Oh, you must mean Rick Hunter," said Minmei. "He was just a friend."

"You mean to tell us you never discussed marriage at all?"

"No, we haven't."

"Do you currently have a steady boyfriend?" I asked. "Is that why you have no marriage plans with Kyle?"

"I'm not seeing anyone right now," she answered.

"Kyle, tell the truth," said a reporter. "Have you proposed marriage to Minmei?"

"No, I haven't," said Kyle.

"Sounds like a pretty weak denial. Maybe you just haven't had the chance."

"No, I've been thinking about the..."

"Yes?"

"Thinking about how I'd actually say it to her," said Kyle. "Because I don't mind telling you it'sd something I considered."

"When are you going to propose to her?" asked another reporter.

"When's the wedding date?" I asked.

"When are you going to go on your honeymoon?"

"Thank you," said Kyle, standing up. "I've been through a lot and I need to get some sleep now. If you will excuse us."

Kyle and Minmei walk away from the hospital as reporters ask questions which go unanswered.

ooooooooooo

Later that evening, I took a walk in the observation park which was not far from the hospital. I looked out into space.

I noticed Claudia was standing right in front of the window. "Hi there," I said.

"Oh, hi," said Claudia. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I'm not surprised," I said. "You and the rest of the crew have been awfully busy. What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to spend the evening looking out at the stars. You know, Commander Hayes just left the ship last night."

"Was the commander injured in the attack and transferred to a hospital on Earth?"

"Oh, no. She had an important dispatch from the captain. She flew down there in a Star Goose shuttle that delivered construction supplies earlier that day."

"Does she have family down there? I wonder if she'll get to visist before coming back up here."

"Her father's an admiral and the commander-in-chief of the Earth Defense Command. She'll probably be reassigned to EDC Headquarters."

"Have you spoken to your brother Vince lately?" I asked.

"I haven't. He did leave messages in my voice mail telling me he was okay. You can't imagine how relieved I was when I got that message the day after the attack. Phones were out for most of the day, so I kept wondering if he was all right."

"I'd better be going now. I just rented a new office. I'd better pack my things to move in tomorrow."

"Okay, you take care."

I took a look around at the observation park. I noticed Claudia speaking to a young man whose face I could not see. I went back to my apartment to finish packing the things that would go to my office.

oooooooooooo

And so I spent the next day moving my things into my new office. I hooked up the computer to the Macross City data net. I set up the Hewlett Pakcard LaserJet printer for which to print my articles. I checked my computer to make sure all of the publishing programs were working right.

I then sent e-mail announcements to the newspapers telling them about the phone number and address of my new office. I looked up my notes and followed-up on stories I was working on. I reported on several new buildings that were finished and ready for habitation.

One afternoon after work, I went shooting with Vince and a friend of his named Phil. They had been friends since before the launch of SDF-1 Macross. I managed to use up a whole box of bullets.

"You're getting better," said Vince, looking at my target.

"Vince used to suck at shooting," said Phil, a red-haired man with a red goatee.

"Do you want to go to the casino, or should I drop you off at your apartment?" asked Vince.

"I'll just go to the casino," i said. "I feel lucky today."

And so I did. Vince drove me there in his black Buick. It was onyl a short drive from the firing range to the casino. I entered and I saw the familiar sights and heard the familiar sounds of the slot machines. I went to the bar where Vince works, and I saw a couple of pilots from Knight Squadron sitting at the table. I noticed Jenna was there.

"Hi there," I said.

"Guess what?' asked Katie. "Max Sterling from Skull Squadron is getting married."

"What?" I asked. "To whom?"

"It was to that lady he was playing that game with," said Lieutenant Ichijo. "Her name's Miriya."

"Here's the kicker," said Captain Landry. "Miriya was one of the Zentraedi defectors. Could you fucking believe that?"

"Well, anyway all of us fighter pilots were invited to the wedding," said Lieutenant Jonathan Wolfe. "We'd better get our dinner dress uniforms pressed."

"Are you going?" I asked Jenna.

"Yes," she said. "Max sent me an invitation. Especially after what I said to him last year, I never expected a wedding invitation. But then, if he is marrying someone who used to be the enemy, it would be hypocritical of him to hold a grudge against me."

"He just wants to share this special occasion with all of you. Try to enjoy yourself."

"We've all attended too many funerals the past two years," said Katie. "A wedding would be nice for a change."

"Skull Squadron's gonna be holding a special ceremony after the wedding," said Captain Landry. "And then there's gonna be a reception."

"Are you going?" asked Jenna.

"This is the first wedding in space; the first between one of us and a Zentraedi," I said. "Of course I'll be there."

"Well, then you'd better cover the bachelor party," said Landry. "We ought to celebrate the occasion with Sterling- even if he is a Spacy pilot."

And so that was what I did.

ooooooooooooo

I entered the Big Bounce Strip Club, which was across the street from the Bright Star Casino. It was a place frequented by crewmen and marines. Captain Landry had informed me that all the squadrons woiuld be celebrating Max Sterling's bachelor party in this place. I decided to bring Kona, Rico, and Bron here. One of their fellow defectors was getting married to Max Sterling, and I figured they needed the exposure. There was a huge banner reading CONGRATULATIONS MAX. We all sat down with our beers.

"Why is everything so dark?" asked Konda.

"I ask the same question," I said.

We all saw scantily clad women walking about. Soime of them were dancing on this huge table.

"They wear so little clothes," said Bron.

Then we saw Max, sitting at a table with other Skull Squadron pilots. Already two strippers were talking to the group.

Then a stripper came to our table. "Want a lap dance?" this red-haired woman asked Rico. "Only twenty dollars."

"Lap dance?" asked Rico.

"This must be a Micronian custom to celebrate a friend's marriage," said Konda.

"I'd like a lap dance," said Rico. "I have twenty dollars."

And so she placed her hands on Rico's thighs and then rubbed her hands. Rico had this blank stare. Then the lady pulled down her tube top, exposing her tits. Then she rubbed them right into Rico's face.

"Aaaahhh!" yelled Konda and Bron. Rico just sat there stiff. The lady just kept rubbing herself against Rico for many minutes. Then she finished.

"Twenty dollars, please," she said.

Rico handed her a twenty without any words.

"We should leave," said Bron. "This is too much."

"No, we should stay," said Konda. "If we are to be accepted as Micronians, we must go through their rituals. It's like combat training."

"Hey guys," said Vince as he walked in. "What's with his face?"

"He had his first lap dance," I said. "Zentraedi society seems to practice sexual repression."

"They just have to get used to it."

"I'm going for a lap dance," said Konda. "We must go through with it if we are to be accepted as Micronians."

And so the bachelor party continued, with all this action from the finest strippers in Macross City. There was loud cheering and whooping. I even noticed Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett was among the guests of Max Sterling's bachelor party. We were there for a long time, drinking and looking at the girls. I wondered iof the bride was having a bachelorette party.

Then something happened. Some angry words were said. Soon there was a fight.

"You Micronians have strange rituals," said Rico. "First you rub against female skin, and now you do combat just to celebrate marriage."

Soon, the fight came to us. The three Zentraedi defectors were good fighters, considering they lived ina society that only existed to wage war.

And then the police arrived.

"STOP!" they yelled.

oooooooooooo

"You know, I don't think this is a Micronian marriage custom," said Bron.

We all sat in cells in the cell block of the Macross City Police Headquarters. The police put and end to the brawl and arrested us all.

Max Sterling was sitting in the same cell I was. "When Miriya finds out about this, she's gonna kill me after all," he said.

"Probably," said a Skull Squadron pilot. "I wonder what Lisa would think of this."

"Here we are," said Captain Landry. "We'll probably be court-martialed or something."

Katie and some women from Knight Squadron came to see us all.

"You guys, I can't believe this," she said. "When the colonel finds out about this..."

"I think the colonel will understand," said Angus Beckett, sitting in the same cell with us.

"Sir?" asked Katie. "I wasn't expecting you here."

"Maybe the cops will keep me in here for a week," said the colonel. "I hope so."

"Afraid of what Colonel Maistroff would do?" asked Lieutenant Ichijo.

"My wife," said Beckett. "I'll probakly have to sleep in my office for the next month."

"Uh oh," said Max. "Here comes Miriya."

I looked and saw this green-haired lady come to the cell block. We all looked at what was going to happen to the wedding.

"Miriya, darling," began Max, "I can explain."

"No need to explain," said Miriya. "This must be another Micronian custom."

Soon afterward, we were all released.

oooooooooooo

The wedding was next morning, and I was wearing my suit. The cathedral was packed with hundreds ofm people wearing their best clothes, and being a reporter who covered the SDF-1's long trek through space and battles with the Zentraedi, I had the privilege of sitting close to the front, right behind the wedding party. I saw Max Sterling dressed in his white tuxedo. He stood before the altar. Standing beside him was the best man, Skull Squadron's commander, Lieutenant Rick Hunter. Then Miriya arrived in the cathedral, dressed in a white wedding dress. Escorted by her maid of honor, Claudia Grant, she walked along the main aisle between the wooden pews. Photographers snapped pictures at this green-haired lady. She stood in fron of the altar.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" asked the minister.

"I do," said Rico, standing up. He takes Miriya's arm and escorts her to the altar.

Miriya now stood in front of Max.

"The wedding bands, please," said the minister. Rick Hunter opened a velvet box containing the wedding bands.

"Do you, Miriya Parino, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" asked the minister.

"I do," replied Miriya.

"And do you, Maximilian Sterling, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" asked the minister.

"I do," said Max.

"By the powers granted to me by the United Nations, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Max and Miriya kissed as photgraphers snapped pictures.

"I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Maximilian Sterling!" said the minister.

The wedded couple takes a walk down the aisle and more cameramen take pictures. They go to the steps of the cathedral. All of Skull Squadron cheered at the wedding of their wingmate. I shook Max's hand, and then I took Miriya's right hand and kissed it.

"Good luck," I said.

More people greeted them. And then they entered the white limousine. The door was closed, concealing the couple, and the limousine drove off.

I saw Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett in the crowd.

"I hope you're not in trouble over last night," I said.

"Well, Colonel Maistroff told me that if I were to do such a thing again, I'd be reassinged to a weather station in Antarctica," said Colonel Beckett. "enough with that. We have a wedding to celebrate."

oooooooooo

All of us went to the observation deck. We would see the ceremony conducted in space by Skull Squadrons' veritech fighters.

A holographic image of a road appeared. The veritech fighters lined up on the road and changed into battloid mode. They emmitted light beams crossing each other at angles. A blue veritech fighter flew along the holographic road. Fireworks were deontated in the space around the SDF-1. Then the veritechs changed into fighter mode and returned to the ship.

ooooooooooo

The wedding reception was held in a ballroom, the same ballroom where the Valentine's Day Party took place. All of us wedding guests were here, except for the wedding party. The cake was in the shape of SDF-1 in its battloid mode.

Then the wedding party members came in in pairs. One by one they were introduced by the announcer.

After that, Max and Miriya came inside, with their arms interlocked. They both walked to the head table as photographers snapped pictures. They took their seats.

I was sitting in the table with the other reporters. The first thing that was served was salad and bread rolls. I had the bleu cheese dressing. It tasted very good.

Then we had the main course, which was prime rib, vegetables, and a baked potato. We all dug in. The prime rib was good especially with the horse radish sauce. The sauce gave the prime rib a biting flavor.

Rick Hunter then stood up. "Good evening, everyone," he said. "I'd like to propose a toast to the newlywed couple, Max and Miriya."

All of us toasted to their marriage. We then continued to finish our meal.

Then came the cutting of the cake. Max cut the first piece and put it in Miriya's mouth. Then she cut the second piece and put it in his mouth. More pictures were taken. Then the rest of us took a piece of cake and sat down at our tables to eat it.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said the announcer. "Today is a very special day. It's more than just a wedding celebration. It's a joining of two souls dedicated to the protection of our Robotech colony. I would like to introduce the man who consented to this special occasion, the guest of honor, Captain Henry J. Gloval."

"Well, to begin with I'd like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Max and Miriya," said Captain Gloval, who was wearing a red cape over his uniform. "For this wedding carries a great historical significance. As you all know, Miriya was a Zentraedi warrior who destroyed many of our own ships. She has come from a culture that we have grown to fear and hate. Clearly it is the Zentraedi who have caused our present situation. They alone prevent our return to Earth, our homes, and our beloved families. It is they who have caused injury, destruction, and endless suffering."

I looked around the crowd. They and I were wondering why Captain Gloval would be inciting hatred against the Zentraedi.

"Now I know what you are thinking," continued the captain. "Why is it he is choosing this time to remind us of these terrible things? I remind of these brutal acts, ladies and gentlemen, because we must learn to forgiveour enemies. We do not forgive blindly or out of ignorance, but becuase we are a strong and willing nation. We can not blame the Zentraedi for this inexplicable lust for war. They have never known another way of life and it is their only means of survival. Nor can we condemn the individual of that society for the mass insanity of their war machine. Instead, we must look at their good nature. Now some have made the request to stop the fighting. I believe it is a generous request and we must respond with equal integrity. The blood of these young people were tested before the ceremony. Zentraedi blood was found to be same as human blood. There is no reason why we can not co-exist in peace, so let this occasion represent the future where all people live in harmony."

We all cheered Gloval for his excellent speech.

"Please allow me to speak just a moment longer," he said. "I am sure there are those who lost loved ones in the war and can not help harboring ill feelings for the Zentraedi. But somehow we must overcome those feelings. We must stop this senseless destruction. Each and every citizen must develop a responsible attitude for the prospect of peace. We must learn from our mistakes to live with different people and different nations.Think of the challenge. I am not proposing laying down our arms but extending them in friendship, so that if there is a chance for a peaceful solution, we can find it together as these young people have done. The Zentraedi are a strong and intelligent people. Therefore, let this act here today stand as a symbol of our approval. We must follow their example. They are the heroes of today."

The guests cheered. Some of them offered toasts to the Zentraedi. Things began to look bright. Maybe we can stop this fighting.

The announcer took the microphone. "Tonight we have with us a very special person," he said. "A woman who has brought happiness to us all. Welcome Miss Lin Minmei."

Minmei appeared and took the microphone. "First, I'd like to extend my congratulations to Max and Miriya on their wedding day," she said. "I've decided to sing a song that tells usabout people very much oike you and me. People who are separated from home, apart from loved ones but strong enough to find the hope that joy can bring when two people discover love."

She started singing the song "Here By My Side". It was the same song she dedicated to me and Jenna in her debut album. She finished the song.

"Okay folks," said the announcer. "The beautiful Minmei will now sing a song dedicated especially to the wedding couple."

Minmei then sang her song "To Be in Love". Max and Miriya then took the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. Then the party continued, as people sat with each other, speaking to one another, and having drinks.

I walked up to the couple. "Hello there," I said. "Why not tell us how you first met?"

"Well, it started like this," said Miriya. "I was a Quadrano pilot for the Zentraedi Air Force. I recommended this plan to target the SDF-1's best pilots. Commander Azonia agreed, and I led the mission to track and kill the best pilots. I knew the ace pilots had unique color schemes for their fighters. I saw this blue fighter and I figured he was an ace, so I shot at him."

"That was me," said Max.

"He was difficult, so I flew right into the ship. But he wanted to do combat even inside here. He shot me down. There was an opening, so I took the opportunity to escape. I flew back and I vowed to kill him."

I then noticed Jenna standing among the people that crowded to hear Max and Miriya's story. She had this blank look on her face.

Then she ran off.

"Excuse me," I said to Barbara, one of the guest reporters. "Could you take over the interview?"

"Sure," she said.

I later found Jenna staring out into space. She was crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's her," she said.

"Her what?"

"Miriya. She was the one who killed Lani."

"How do you know?" I asked.

"She told us she was the one who flew that flying destroid into the ship. That was the one I was chasing that day. She flew the same way like that destroid that killed Lani. Now she's here and she married one of the pilots and..."

"She probably did kill Lani," I said. "She killed others as well. She was the enemy, Jenna. Her people tried to kill you, and our people tried to kill her. But she's not the enemy anymore. She turned her back on the Zentraedi way of life, she chose to live among us. And she found someone to love."

"I still miss Lani."

"You now know the Zentraedi are a lot like us, capable of love. you must have killed some Zentraedi when you flew out there."

"About a hundred."

"The next time you fly out there, you might end up killing someone a lot like Lani. Or she might end up killing you. You did not make the decision to go to war. Neither did Miriya. If there is a peaceful resolution, we must seek it. Otherwise, more people like Lani, from both sides, will die."

Jenna looked at me with her blue eyes. "You're right," she said. "I'm going back and I'm going to celebrate the occasion. Did you know Lani saved my life?"

"I didn't know that."

"When I was injured in battle and unable to fly my fighter, she pushed me to the Prometheus. She was the one who found me and pushed me to safety. Lani didn't save my life just so I could be miserable."

"Can I walk you back to the reception hall?"

"Sure."

I took her arm and we walked back to the reception hall. We approahced a few feet before the door.

"Oh no," she said. "I forgot my gift to Max and Miriya."

"We can get it after the reception," I said. "you can bring it to the Skull Squadron's office tomorrow."

"Okay. Katie and the others must have wondered where I went."

Then the alarm sounded.

"Of all times for the enemy to attack," I said.

"I have to go," said Jenna. "If I don't make it back, the present is in my quarters."

She then ran off, so I ran to the observation deck. I looked and saw the veritech fighters take off. Soon they engaged in combat with the enemy, and space was filled with explosions.

I saw a veritech fighter chasing a Zentraedi battle pod. It fired at the pod. The pod was not destroyed. It just stood there, unable to change velocity. Soon more pods were hit. Our fighters must be disabling them. Soon the remaining operational pods withdrew to their ships. The veritech fighters came back. This was very interesting.

oooooooooooooo

I went to Jenna's quarters that night after the battle. I could hear the television was on.

I went inside and I saw her sitting on her bed. She was smiling.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi," replied Jenna. "You know, Max and Miriya were fighting along with us."

"Really?"

"They got the idea of simply disabling the battlepods, rather than blowing them up. I managed to disable ten pods."

I looked at the television screen and I saw Lani wearing a swimsuit. She and Jenna and Katie were on a beach.

"What's this?" I asked.

"This was a video of our trip to Sydney, Australia just before we went back to duty to serve on this ship," said Jenna. "The first time I watched it after Lani died, I cried myself to sleep. Now I feel happy looking at the video. This was the first time I felt happy about watching this since she died. Come to think of it, I haven't been happy in a long time."

"I've noticed," I said. "Listen, I've got to go work on my article I have a new office you know." I turned and looked at a wrapped box. "Is this the gift?"

"Yeah, I forgot to bring it with me to the reception," said Jenna. "I'll drop it at Skull Squadron's office tomorrow."

"Take care."

And then I left to write my article. 


	19. Pen and Sword

CONGRATULATIONS! VERITECH PILOT MARRIES ZENTRAEDI DEFECTOR!

That was the headline of the Macross Gazette the day after the wedding of Max Sterling and Miroya Parino. The front page photograph was their first kiss after they were wed. The wedding did a lot to boost them morale of the SDF-1 crew, the Marine detachments, and the people of Macross City. There was still some construction work going on to repair the last of the damage from the invasion of Macross City nearly a month before.

One day I decided to have lunch in the observation deck food court. Working without supervision, I was able to set my own hours. I bought a hamburger, french fries, and a Coca-cola. I went to the tables where the food court's customers sit. I looked around, and I saw Konda, Rico, and Bron, three of the Zentraedi defectors now living here in Macross City.

"Hi there," I said to them. "How are you doing?"

"We're doing fine," said Konda. "I'mn eating this thing called a taco."

"How's your jobs going?"

"We've been teaching Micronians how to speak our language," said Rico. "We each teach one class, and we have about thirty students."

"They've been making good progress," said Bron. "They know basic Zentraedi phrases. It won't be long before they can have conversations in our language. And we're learning more and more about your history and culture."

"You know, Minmei's releasing her second album tomorrow. It's called Victory and..."

The alarm sounded. "ALL HANDS BATTLE STATIONS!" yelled a female voice. "THIS IS NOT A DRILL!"

The four of us ran to the window. We could see a huge Zentraedi warship.

"That's Commander Breetai's ship," said Rico. "He's about to lead another attack on this ship."

"You mentioned him before during my interview with you."

"We were assigned under his command as intelligence analysts," said Konda. "Dolza assigned him to capture the SDF-1."

I saw Zentraedi fighters flying towards the ship. It looked like they would be spearheading the attack.

Suddenly, without warning, the ship opened fire on the fighters. Soon the fighters were dispatched.

"He opened fire on his own fighters," I said. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know," said Rico. "It's not like him. It's like something Khyron would do."

"Who?" I asked.

"Khyron's the commander of the seventh mechanized division," said Bron. "He's known as the Backstabber. He would destroy his own forces to achieve victory."

"Well, whoever that is, we're gonna have a battle on our hands," I said.

The Zentraedi warship came to a stop relative to the SDF-1. I wondered if it was preparing for an attack. But then it wasa not firing anything- cannon, laser beams, missiles. Everyone in the food court watched the ship that seemed to just be floating out there in space. What were the Zentraedi up to?

I saw a small group of veritech fighters fly out to meet the enemy ship. It looked like they would spearhead an attack. But then they returned without firing a shot. Then I noticed that a Zentraedi pod was among them. The fighters and the pod returned to one of the landing bays.

"Something strange is going on," I said.

"Excuse me," someone said.

I turned and found that it was Private First Class Bryan Hart.

"Is there something?" asked Konda.

"Captain Gloval summons the three of you,"said Bryan Hart. "Please come with me."

Konda, Rico, and Bron come with the security police private. I decided to finish my lunch and then go back to my office.

ooooooooooo

That evening, I came home. I decided to cook myself a pork chop for dinner. I still had plenty of work to do. I wondered if Jenna was ready to start dating again. Could she have found someone else? I did not have her phone number yet. I figured I should get it the next time I see her. I sat in my dining table. I sliced a slice from the pork chop, dipped it in barbecue sauce, and then put it in my mouth and chewed. I was wondering what to do. I could go shooting with Vince. Or maybe pay a visit with Jake, who is out of the hospital now. His boy Lunk was now ten months old and his first birthday would be in two months. Would Lunk spend his entire life in the ship, looking down on a planet that sent him and his family away?

I finished my dinner and washed the dish and the fork and the knife and the glass. I sually ate alone in my apartment, so there weren't many plates or utensils to watch. I turned on the Sony television and I also turned on my personal computer. The channel that was on showed classic movies. There were some TV shows being filmed in Macross City. I looked through my notes, wondering if there were any articles I could send to the newspapers before going to sleep. Tonight would be meant to be a quiet night.

But these plans were thwarted when I heard a special report on TV.

"We interrupt this programming for a special report," said a voice.

"Good evening," said a news anchorman whom I recognized. "Minutes ago, the SDF-1 crew announced the detection of massive hyperspace defold reaction. It isd believed that these are coming from Zentraedi warships arriving in our solar system.'

I knew what was going to happen. The Zentraedi were sending reinforcements for an attack on the ship. I raced out of my apartment to head for the obnservation lounge.

oooooooooooo

I arrived at the observation lounge. Looking out into space, I could see flashes of light. These flashes faded to reveal a Zentraedi spaceship. Space was already filled with Zentraedi spaceships. There were too many to count. The defold acticity kept going on and on. ship after ship after ship appeared out of hyperspace to take position. Despair started sinking into my heart at this sight.

In previous battlesd, we only faced a few ships at a time. But there must be at least a million ships out there! I remmebered after those four crew members returned from Zentraedi captivity. I remember when Jenna and I bought many drinks for Ben Dixon to loosen his tongue.

Ben Dixon mentioned four or five million Zentraedi ships. I watched as more and more ships appeared.

It looked like we were their top priority. Given the trouble we caused them, they decided to send their whole fleet here. There was no way we could survive an attack. Even if we fired all our weapons and sent every fighter at our disposal, it would not be enough.

I went to the bar and looked at the bartender, who was staring out into the spaceship-filled space.

"I'd like a beer please," I said.

"Have all you want," he said to me.

I filled myself a pitcher of Budweiser beer. I took a glass and sat at a cloth-covered table close to the window. I just looked as more and more ships arrived. I started drinking the beer in big gulps.

As the alcohol buzzed my mind, I thought of Jenna. She and the others must be on red alert. She must be aware of the situation. She had just recently got her life back. Now she was going to lose it for good.

She had been concerned that I would end up grieving inconsolably for her if she died. But when they attack, there won't be anyone around to grieve. I continued gulping down more beer. Here I was, about to die, drunk and alone.

I wondered if we could escape from this solar system. But then I knew that the enemy could fold through hyperspace, and that they would attack us.

Then the flashes stopped. Space was filled with Zentraedi warships. We were surrounded and there was nowhere to go. I hadn't even finished my pitcher of beer.

I saw some of the ships start to glow. they were charging a shot to fire at us. I stood up and waited for the ships to reduce the SDF-1 Macross and everything in it into its component subatomic particles.

"Goodbye, Jenna," I said. "I love you."

Then the ships discharged their fire. This was the end. The end of my assignment. The end of the journey I started when I stepped on that plane in New York. The end.

I sat down and decided to finish my beer.

I looked at my hands. How could I finish my beer if I was dead?

The ships did not fire at us. They fired at the Earth!

I ran to the window and saw the Earth lit up. There were tiny lights on the surface.

Those were explosions on the surface. People were being incinerated. I banged on the windows as hard as I could, not that it would stop these aliens one bit.

I bowed my head down. Mom. Dad. Sally. Tony. Tammy. Oliver. Mr. Chegwidden. Quinn. Gail. Everyone on Earth. Incinerated.

And there would be no time to grieve. For the next shot was aimed at us. Once their weapons were ready, it would be as if we were never here.

I watched, drinking my beer, as I waited for everything to end. I did not shed a tear for anyone on Earth. there was no point in grieving when I was about to die.

It was such a shame. There would be no one left to tell my story to.

Then I saw a bright light. This was it. I just wished I could have been with Jenna. Or my family. Or someone I cared about. Instead, I would die here alone. I took another sip of beer.

I was alive. Whom did the aliens fire on? I looked out to space, ands I noticed there were a lot fewer alien ships.

Siomeone on Earth fired a massive weapon against the Zentraedi fleet! That means there were survivors on Earth- surviviors who could strike back.

Then I heard a voice over the PA. It was calling for me.

I went to the nearest phone and dialed a number. I told them who I was.

"We have an important assignment for you," said Lieutenant Claudia Grant. "We are about to engage a counteroffensive against the enemy and we want you to cover it."

"Another assignment?" I asked.

"This battle will be the biggest battle humanity has ever faced, and we need the best reporter on hand. Meet me on the bridge."

And so I did.

oooooooooo

Before going to the bridge, I got dressed in my suit, the same suit I was wearing when I first saw the launch of the SDF-1. I was even wearing the same press pass. I rode in a Jeep to the elevators connecting the Macross City decks to the other decks of the ship. I was led through the corridors of the ship

I entered the bridge, noticing all the monitors and instruments and control panels, and I met with Captain Henry J. Gloval, Lieutenant Claudia Grant, and a short red-haired man I was not familiar with.

"Hello there," said Captain Gloval. "I am glad you have come."

"It's a privilege to have an exclusive on this," I said.

"This is Exedore. He was Breetai's aide."

"I am a micronized Zentraedi," said Exedore. "Fleet Commander Breetai sent me here to conduct ceasefire negotiations. We have decided to fight with you against Dolza's fleet."

"Why?" I asked.

"We were exposed to Micronian culture. Because of a previous incident, Dolza made it policy to destroy any Zentraedi unit that was exposed to an alien culture, even if it is a whole fleet. Dolza now has Lord Breetai and Lady Azonia and everyone under them marked for death, so we no longer serve him."

"So I get to cover this battle from the bridge," I said.

"Not exactly," said Captain Gloval. "You will be covering a Minmei concert."

"A concert?" I asked.

"The crew and soldiers in Dolza's ships never encountered culture," said Exedore. "If we jam their frequencies with Minmei's singing, we can disorient them and launch a surprise attack."

"I will be honored to do this," I said. "I would like a favor though."

"Name it," said Claudia.

oooooooooo

The Minmei concert was held at the observation lounge. Stage workers worked as they prepared the equipment to record the broadcast. I had my own digital camcorder. I saw Lin Kyle standing on stage, dressed in a purple suit.

"Here you go," said a Spacy technician, handing me a wireless headset. "This will connect you to the bridge. They should be able to connect you to whomever you want."

"Hello, Claudia?" I asked.

"How is it going?" she asked.

"I can hear you." I then made my request.

"We're going to connect you now," said Claudia. I ran to the window to look at Prometheus.

"Hello?" asked Jenna.

"It's me," I said. I told her whom I was.

"How are you talking to me?"

"Claudia- Lieutenant Grant- patched me in to you. Now I can hear everything from your side."

"What is going on?" asked Jenna.

"I'm covering the Minmei concert that's gonna be broadcast to the enemy fleet," I said. "How are you doing?"

"They added booster and missile pods to my veritech. Now it can accelerate faster and fire more missiles. It also has these megaton-yield missiles that could blast apart enemy cruisers with one hit. I'm now taxiing to the elevator."

"Jenna, I love you."

"You know, for a long time I've isolated myself from everyone. I thought it would make things easier. But life's not about taking the easy way out. I mean, we're facing millions of enemy ships, and the easy way out is to just sit around until they blast us to bits. But that's not what being a Marine is about. That's not what's life's about. I'm going to go out there to fight for you and I'm coming back for you. Yes, I'm not the same person you fell in love with. I've grown these past two years. I love you. And I'm going to fight and come back here because I love you."

"Air Boss to Knight Three," said someone. "You're already cleared for takeoff. What's the problem?"

"Good hunting," I said.

"I'll come back!" yelled Jenna. "Knight Three to Air Boss, I have a green board and I am taking off."

I looked and saw the black veritech fighter with its boosters taking off from Prometheus. It joined hundreds of veritech fighters already in the front of the SDF-1.

"I heard what you were saying," said Minmei, tapping my shoulder. "I understand how you feel."

"She'll come back," I said. "Jenna's coming back."

"Minmei, we only have a minute left," said Kyle.

"Coming."

"Well, this is it," said Konda.

"It's win or die," said Rico.

"Let's get on with it," said Bron.

Then the instrumentalist played their instruments, and Minmei started her singing. "Life is only what we choose to make it," she began. "Let us take it, Let us be free."

I saw the enemy Zentraedi ships get closer and closer as we advanced. There was no response from them. It was working.

I looked back at the stage, and saw Minmei singing. She put down her microphone while her band played their instruments. She and Kyle then kissed each other. I then noticed a flash of light. I looked and the SDF-1 and our Zentraedi allies were blasting the enemy apart. space was filled with explosions.

"Knight Squadron, this is Knight Leader," I heard someone say. "Attack!"

Minmei continued singing, and space was filled with explosions from the battle. I heard Minmei repeat the phrase, "We will win." And indeed it felt that way.

"This is Knight Three," said Jenna. "I have my first target on sight. First payload away!"

"It's a hit, Knight Three," someone said. "Your target's destroyed."

"Knight Three is moving on to the next payload," said Jenna. "Knights Ten and Eleven, continue to cover me. ETA to target two minutes."

MInmei continued her singing as the enemy fleet was shredded by the weapons of the SDF-1 and its allies, or the deadly multi-megaton payloads delivered by the veritechs.

"Second payload has been delivered," said Jenna.

"We will win!" sung Minmei.

"Another hit, Knight Three," someone said immedaitely after Minmei sung those words. "Target has been destroyed."

And so the battle continued. I heard Minmei's song in tandem with the chatter over Jenna's radio. It was almost as if Minmei were guiding the battle with her singing. The intensity of the explosions appeared to coincide with the notes of her song. It was like she was a conductor and the battle was her orchestra.

"This is Knight Three, I've used up all my payloads," said Jenna. "Oh no! Skull Leader's taken a hit. I gotta..."

"Negative, Knight Three," said Knight Leader. "Knight Four has one more payload to deliver. Protect Knight Four!"

"Copy that, Knight Leader."

As I was hearing Minmei sing, I could see something ahead. It was much bigger than the other ships.

"That's the Zentraedi headquarters," said Konda.

We kept getting closer and closer as Minmei continued her singing. She was singing in a loop, repeating her lyrics. She wasn't going to stop until we have won.

"This is Knight Leader," said Colonel Beckett. "I can't shake this bandit off my tail."

"I see it, Knight Leader," said Jenna. "I'm going in. Got it!"

"Thanks, Knight Three."

The Zentraedi headquarters, this huge thing, kept getting closer until it obstructed the view of all space.

"All guard fighters break off," said Claudia.

"Copy that, SDF-1 control," said Jenna.

We kept getting closer and closer. Then I knew what we were going to do.

It was a Daedalus attack! This time, the whole ship was going in.

Soon we were breaking through the ship, cutting through the hull like a hot knife through butter. Minmei continued to sing even as we penetrated deep into enemy headquarters. For a few minutes we went through the bulkhead of Zentraedi headquarters.

Then we emerged into this open space. There were thousands of Zentraedi ships floating in this space. In the center was this huge thing hanging from the top, or was it the bottom? I could see a window, and there was this figure in the window.

"That's him!" yelled Rico, looking through binoculars.

"Who?" I asked.

"Dolza! Commander-in-chief of all Zentraedi!" yelled Bron.

I looked through the viewfrinder of the Sony digital camcorder, and I could see this bald man in a blue robe. That was Dolza.

"Everyone!" I yelled to the camera crew. "Point the cameras to the window." I went up to the camera operators to help them. "Zoom in there." Dolza's image appeared on the little screen.

"What are we doing?" asked the camera operator.

"Recording history," I said. I pointed my digital camcorder and zoomed to get a close look at Dolza.

The SDF-1 then fired its missiles and laser beams and cannons. Then everthign in front of the window was tinted green. It was the barrier. The Zentraedi ships inside the huge central space opened fire on us, but it would only serve to feed more energy into the barrier until...

I looked at Dolza, who appeared to be tinted green due to the barrier. Then he was tinted blue. then he was tinted violet. Then he was tinted white. Soon he disappeared into this white light as Minmei sung, "We will win!"

I knew that the barrier overloaded and that he was reduced to subatomic particles.

Then we saw the Earth below us. The Zentraedi headquarters was destroyed, along with a good portion of the Zentraedi fleet.

"Jenna, are you there?" I asked.

There was nothing, not even static.

"Jenna?" I asked.

Nothing.

"Knight Squadron. Claudia? Anyone?"

"Telephones are out," said some guy.

I looked as the Earth started getting closer. We were going in.

We all braced ourselves as the SDF-1 fell to Earth. Soon I can see the corona of light as the friction between the hull and the Earth's atmosphere heated it up.

I felt weightless and I knew we were going into free fall. Once we hit the Earth, we would hit it with a force greater than any of those blasts from the Zentraedi ships. We were going to be incinerated.

I wondered how Jenna felt, knowing that the ship was in free fall to its destruction and she could not do anything to save it.

To save me.

Then I suddenly felt heavy. The SDF-1 must have activated its thrusters. The corona disappeared as the hull started cooling down. I looked and saw clouds. then I could see the blue expanse of an ocean. At the edge I could see the rising sun. Then I could see a coastline. Beyond the coastline were mountains and plains and rivers.

Then I could see the land in more details. there were many craters scattered about, the result of the alien attack. Soon the craters appeared bigger and bigger.

There was no need to hear any announcement to prepare for impact. We waited and waited. The landscape disappeared, replaced with the brightening sky. The ship must have changed its orientation. We all braced ourselves.

Then we were shaken off our feet. The ship landed hard. I looked around at Konda, Rico, Bron, Minmei, Kyle, and the others. They appeared all right.

"We're back," I said. I looked out the window . There was some trees in the distance, and empty, scorched land between here and the trees.

"Everyone all right?" asked Konda.

"Jenna," I said, looking out the window. "She's coming back. Jenna!" I yelled into the headset. "JENNA!"

There was no response.

"Listen," said Kyle. "I'm sorry."

"No!" I yelled. "She promised she'd come back." I looked at everyone who was looking at me. I took the digital camcorder I used to record the battle.

I then ran out of the observation lounge, through the streets of Macross City, and to the aircraft carrier Prometheus. None of the security policemen tried to stop me. I noticed footsteps following me.

I made my way to the hangar deck of the Prometheus just in time to see a brown veritech fighter descend from the flight deck.

I waited and waited. More and more veritechs came down to the flight deck and taxiied into position.

I then saw Knight Squadron's veritechs come down. The pilots got out and the veritechs were guided into their stalls.

I saw another Knight Squadron fighter. It had these attachments to its back and legs. I looked at the cockpit. That was Captain Landry. He taxied his veritech to a stall.

Then I saw another veritech with the attached booster units. As it taxied, I looked at the cockpit.

CPT J. MURPHY

"Jenna!" I yelled as I followed the fighter. It stopped and the canopy opened.

I saw the pilot remove her helmet, revealing her blond hair.

"Jenna!" I yelled.

She yelled out my name and climbed down from the cockpit. She ran to me.

Soon we held each other and we kissed. I felt the pressure of her lips, I felt her back and her waist. Our hearts began to race.

We finally separated after a long time. "You came back," I said.

"I had someone to come back to," said Jenna. We went to the side, arm in arm.

Another Knight Squadron veritech arrived, and Lieutenant Colonel Angus Beckett revealed himself and climbed down whole his veritech was moved to a stall. Then the last veritech came down. It was olive drab in color, with the booster units.

Colonel Maistroff opened the canopy and climbed down. He stood next to Colonel Beckett.

Jenna approached him. "Sirs," she said. "Permission to skip debriefing so I can celebrate victory with this wonderful man whom I fought and came back for."

"Your call, Beckett," said Maistroff.

"Permission granted, Captain Murphy," said Beckett. "Come back to my office at 0900 tomorrow for your debriefing."

"Yes, sir," she said. She then took my arm, and we ran all the way back to my apartment. 


	20. BDA

I woke up and looked at the General Electric clok radio. It was 1:15 PM. Jenna was gone, probably back in her office. I figured she would be busy for the next couple of weeks. I turned on the TVand there was a special report concerning last night's battle with the Zentraedi. They played the clip of Dolza's last moments in the physical Universe. a reportyer mentioned that several recon planes were searching for any survivors. There were unconfirmed reports of radio contact with other military bases. That was not surprising to me, as I saw the counterattack from Earth after the Zentraedi fleet carpet bombed the world.

I called Commander Ward's office.

"There are no press conferences right now," said a Spacy sergeant. "Please check back with us."

I decided to go to Tower Records. I remembered that Lin Minmei would release her album today. I rode the bus to within a hundred feet of the Tower Records store. I entered the store and I looked around, seeing the racks filled with CD's and DVD's and audio and video cassettes. I saw Minmei and Lin Kyle in the store. I guessed they decided to go promote their new album after all. There were a few people in the store, not as much as there were in her debut album promotion over a year ago.

"Hello there," said Minmei. "First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming here for the release of my new album. I worked very hard in recording it. But as I stand here, I can not help but think of all those billions who won't have a chance to listen to it. This war has cost us a lot. I dedicate my album to those people who will never hear it here."

She then continued to sign the CD cases of those fans who came here to purchase her new album.

I walked up to her. "Any statements?" I asked.

"No thank you," she replied.

"I have a statement," said Kyle. "The whole war was the fault of the UN. It was the UN who started this war, and it was they who brought the destruction of our world. They said they wanted to bring peace. the only peace they brought wad the peace of the grave."

ooooooooooooo

Later that day, I went to a press conference along wioth other reporters. Commander Ward was addressing all of us.

"We have made contact with Juneau, Alaska," says the commander. "We have sent relief supplies and a squad of Marines to secure the area. We have airlifted some of the injured over here to SDF-1 for medical treatment. Our sources tell us that electrical power and running water are out and we are working with the local authorities and the state of Alaska to restore water and power to this city."

"What was the extent of the damage?" asks a reporter.

"Many of the buildings were blasted apart or burned to the ground," said Commander Ward. "We have set up temporary shelters and repaired construction equipment."

"There are many people in Macross City who were only visiting when we first went into space two years ago," I said. "Will they be repatriated to their hometowns?"

"We are still looking for survivors," said Ward. "We know that there are survivors in Juneau, and we';ve made contact with survivors from several UN military bases. We have Cat's Eye recon planes and one ARMD carrier in low Earth orbit. They reported receiving radio transmissions from the surface. We are currently investigating."

"How many people do you estimate survived the attack?" asked another reporter.

"About two billion. Now let me move on to the next announcement. We have made contact with Zentraedi Supreme Commander Breetai, who fought with us against the previous Supreme Commander Dolza. He has announced that pardons will be issued to all Zerntraedi defectors. They may choose to reside with us or return to duty. Captain Gloval has announced that the remaining Zentraedi prisoners are to be freed and granted residency status."

oooooooooooooo

I spent the next few days reporting on the search for survivors of the Zentraedi bombardment of Earth. I was glad to report that some large population centers, some with more than one hundred thousand residents, were still intact. Of course, there were entire towns that were completely wiped out, all that was left was a crater, and there was no indication from looking at the crater that a town was ever there.

A few hundred refugees went to SDF-1. I heard some of their stories.

"I was driving my truck on Interstate 90," said a man. "there was this flash, and I stepped on the brakes and ducked. then I saw this mushroom cloud. I thought it was a nuclear war."

"I was taking a walk in the park when all these beams of light came down from the sky," said this woman. "I heard these loud explosions. I looked and I saw the whole town was on fire."

"We were driving home," said this couple. "We saw the mushroom cloud. We stopped near the edge of this huge crater. It was like a mile long. there was no trace our home was ever there."

oooooooooooo

One afternoon, I was typing up an article in my office. I saw Jenna come in, dressed in her duty uniform.

"How are you doing?" I asked, smiling. "I haven't seen you in a long while."

"I've been very busy," said Jenna.

"I've been busy too. What's up?"

"Well, Wolf Squadron was escorting a Cat's Eye. It's Katie. Her whole family's dead."

"Her whole family?" I asked.

"She had a large family like you and I. There were no survivors. None at all. Colonel Beckett granted her leave."

oooooooooooo

That evening, Jenna and I were in Katie Taney's quarters. She was lying down on her bed. There was no sound. None of us talked. I wished there was something I could do to make Katie feel better. I looked into Jenna's eyes, and I knew she was wishing the same thing.

oooooooooo

"It is so sad," said Vince when I told him about Katie's family.

"Jenna's spending her free time with her," I said. "Katie needs a friend now more than ever."

"Are you spending time with her? I mean Jenna."

"Sometimes I accompany her when she visits Katie. What about your family?"

"My only family is Claudia. My parents died when I was young, and she raised me. I can understand how Katie is feeling. You know, I'm thinking of marrying Jean."

"Uh, why?" I asked.

"I love her, and I want to do my part to repopulate the Earth," said Vince.

"Maybe you should go pay a visit to Katie some time. She needs the company."

"I'll try."

"Have you spoken with Claudia recently?" I asked.

"She left messages on my machine, and I left messages on hers," said Vince. "I haven't seen her a lot since we returned to Earth. She's been busy."

"I was wondering if we can go shooting at the range again."

"Maybe tomorrow," said Vince.

oooooooooooo

Days later, I was outside the SDF-1 in the surrounding countryside. I never saw SDF-1 from the outside in a long time. It looked like a huge battloid, just as Jenna mentioned. I did notice it had a lot of wear and tear. I remembered reading in the newspaper that the SDF-1 is unable to fly again.

I looked around at the blasted landscape, with SDF-1 sitting in the middle of a huge crater. There were a whole bunch of people civilian and military, standing about. Mayor Tommy Luan stood and held a microphone.

"It has been three weeks since our return to Earth," said the mayor. "We have been through a lot these past two plus years. We've struggled, and we found joy and friendship and even romance among the struggle. The SDF-1 has been our home for two years. But it will soon be time to leave. Once again, we must relocate Macross City. And we will relocate it right here, around the final resting place of the SDF-1 Macross. The Public Works Department and the SDF-1 Construction Department have worked together to make a building plan for the new Macross City. Land surveyors have surveyed the landscape. And now we will begin the construction of Macross City. And to begin, I shall now break ground for the new Macross City Hall."

Mayor Luan takes a shovel and shoves it into the dirt as photographers snap pictures. He then digs out some drt as photgrahers snap more pictures.

ooooooooooooooo

WE'RE MOVING! NEW MACROSS CITY TO BE CONSTRUCTED OUTSIDE OF SDF-1

That was the headline of the Macross Gazette the next day. Articles mentioned that dump trucks and bulldozers and other equipment have been moved to the construction site just outside the ship. It was estimated it would take six months before the city was ready for habitation. I continued to cover the search for survivors and rhe reconstruction efforts. Eleven million survivors were already accounted for. And we were only exploring North America. This was a lot better than the idea of the people on board SDF-1 as being humanity's only survivors. The SDF-1 crew released images of the devastated towns and cities. It was as if a massive hurricane swept over the globe, followed by a worldwide earthquake. The devastated areas were guarded by infantry soldiers and destroids. The United Nations had just passed a resolution declaring global martial law. All surviving reserve units were activated to maintain order and security as the reconstruction continued.

One day, I received a call in my office.

"Hello," I said. I told the caller whom I was.

"It's me, Lieutenant Claudia Grant," the caller said. "I have someone on the line for you."

"I'm working on an article right now," I said.

"It won't take long. I'll transfer you."

ooooooooooo

I ran into Knight Squadron's briefing room.

"Jenna!" I yelled breathlessly.

"We're in a middle of a meeting," she said.

"THEY'RE ALIVE!" I yelled.

"Who's alive?"

"MY WHOLE FAMILY. MY PARENTS, SALLY, TONY, TAMMY, AND OLIVER! THEY ALL SURVIVED. THE BIG APPLE'S STILL THERE!"

"Thank God," says Jenna.

ooooooooooo

After Jenna got off, we met in her quarters.

"I spoke with my mom," I said. "She told me Dad and the others were still alive. I was actually a local celebrity due to the message I got out a year ago. They were told I was killed during the launch of the SDF-1. But when Claudia broadcast my message to New York, it was big news. They even appeared on TV, telling everyone that they hoped that the ship would come home and release me. Listen, Jenna, I have to get back to New York. I have to see my family again. New York is where I live."

"Maybe I can speak with the air transportation department," said Jenna. "It's amazing the Zentraedi missed New York."

"I know," I said. "I was happily surprised when I learned New York was still in one piece. I was just waiting to hear whether or not my family survived. There were casualties over there during the attack."

"Tell me if you arrange transportation to New York. In the meantime, I'm going to try to get leave so I can see my family on Apollo Colony. I spoke to them, but I haven't gotten leave yet."

"They have to give you leave. You've been working hard the past three weeks. Somebody else can go fly these missions. You need a break."

ooooooooooo

After two weeks of working, hanging out at the casino, shooting at the range, and spending time with Jenna, I received a call.

"Hi there," said Jenna.

"Hi," I said, sitting in my office reading an article. "How are you doing?"

"I have good news for you," she said. "You'll be able to fly back to New York tomorrow morning."

"That's great!" I said. I was elated at finally returning. "I guess I'd better start packing. What time will my flight leave?"

"When I'm ready," said Jenna. "You see, Colonel Maistroff granted leave to me and a few other Marines. We brought in reservists to serve as replacements. I'll be bringing my veritech with me; the colonel insisted I have it in case I have to go back to fly a mission. Why don't we celebrate at the casino?"

"Okay," I said. I looked around my office. I sure had a lot of stuff to pack, not to mention my belongings in my apartment.

oooooooooooooo

That evening, after I finished packing my office stuff, I went to the Bright Star Casino. I played some of the slot machines and table games. I realized I won't be coming back here for quite some time. The SDF-1 had been my home for two years. But it was time to go back home, and to say goodbye to the friends I made on this ship.

I sat down at the casino bar with my friends. Jenna, Katie, the others from Knight Squadron, Vince, Claudia, the three Zentraedi defectors, Jake Austin and the reporters, all were here. We had to gather three tables.

"This is my last night here," I said. "I'll never forget the memories."

"We'll never forget you," said Katie.

"I'll still look forward to your articles," said Jake.

"You did a lot for us to help us adjust to life here," said Bron.

"Your writing was an inspiration," said Lieutenant Jonathan Wolfe.

"I'm glad to have the chance to meet your parents," said Jenna. "you're not the only one heading home. Lieutenant Ichijo is going back home too. Hiroshima survived the attack."

"What irony," said Ichijo.

"I was glad to help," said Claudia.

"We're gonna miss you, man," said Vince. "Maybe when airlines start runnin' again, I can fly to New York to visit you."

"I want to make a toast," said Jenna. "To this wonderful man whom I love very much, and to the Big Apple."

We all toasted.

oooooooooooooo

That evening, Jenna was helping me pack my personal belongings to bring back home. She even got me souveneirs, including an SDF-1 model kit.

"I suck at models," I said as I put some clothes into a cardboard box. "Maybe Oliver could do it. He likes that thing."

"I'm glad he does," said Jenna.

"Will Katie be okay?" I asked. "It's sad to know that her whole family is gone."

"She'll be all right. She's not gonna isolate herself like I did. She told me there were others to reach out to. So many people on this ship are the sole survivors of their families. I guess we got off lucky."

"We probably have relatives who were killed in the attack," I said. "Mom did not mention what happened to my uncles and aunts and cousins."

"I have uncles and aunts and cousins on Earth," said Jenna. "Some of them might not have survived."

"May family would sure love to meet you. You'll have such wonderful stories to tell."

"Remember when we went on that mission to Mars together? Now that I look back, it's kind of funny."

I opened my laptop computer case. Inside was several CD-ROM's. "Good thing I didn't forget them," I said.

"What's in there?" asks Jenna.

"Articles and digital photographs," I said. "The day after I return, I'm going back to the AP Manhattan office and submit thesr to whoever's the boss. I've been on assignment for two years, and I think the Manhattan office will want to see this."

"So you're going back to work immediately?"

"Technically, I'm still on assignment. I'll make the time to show you around. We can visit the Statue of Liberty, maybe take a concert at Radio City Music Hall, see a play on Broadway. Maybe you can stop by on New Year's Eve and we can celebrate in Times Square."

"I'll look forward to that." 


	21. Return to New York

I woke up looking around my Macross City apartment. All of my stuff was packed into cardboard boxes. I was ready to go back to New York.

I heard the doorbell ring, and I opened the door. I saw Jenna and Vince.

"We're here to help you move," said Vince. "Katie is out in front, she's taking the morning off to help you move."

And so we carried my luggage and the boxes through the apartment building into the Humvee parked in the white loading zone in front of the apartment building. Katie Taney helped us put the boxes in the Humvee. I took one last look at the apartment I lived in for two years. I studied every detail of the room and the adjoining kitchen.

"It's a good thing the Marines are letting you do this," I said.

"You wrote many reports on our missions," said Katie. "It's the least we can do. I want other people on Earth to read your obituary on Lani."

We continued packing the stuff inside the boxes. After a few minutes, all of my belongings were in the Humvee.

"Let's go," said Katie. She got into the driver's seat of the Humvee and started the engine. Jenna and I sat in the back.

"Goodbye," said Vince. "We'll all miss you."

Katie drove us through the streets of Macross City to the main entrance to the rest of the ship. She got into a cargo lift which lefted us to the level. But she did not go to the Prometheus aircraft carrier. Instead, she drove us to Hangar Bay 504.

"We relocated our veritechs here," said Jenna. "There's mine over there."

The Hangar Bay personnel helped us load my belongings into the cargo compartments of the black-and-red veritech fighter. Everything was loaded except my carry-on luggage, which had my laptop computer and the CD-ROM's containing my articles I wrote over the past two years.

One of the air crew members pulled down the ladders we would use to ascend into the cockpit. I sat there and fastened my seatbelt and put on a helmet.

"Initiating pre-flight check," said Jenna. "Checking all instrument panels and warning lights."

I looked over the side as the hangar crew disconnected a rubber hose from the fighter plane.

"System check," said Jenna. "Engines, APU, life support, fuel. Preparing for takeoff. Make sure you seat belt is fastened and the trays in the upright position."

"Okay," I said.

"Starting up engines." I heard the veritech's engines whine. "Everything looks okay. the board is green. Setting course for JFK Airport. Knight Two to SDF-1 Air Boss, I am ready for takeoff."

"Please stand by while takeoff bay is cleared, Knight Two."

"Copy that, Air Boss."

I waited for a few minutes. I wondered if something was wrong. I looked around the hangar bay, at the other veritechs and the air crew.

"Knight Two, this is Air Boss," said the air traffic control officer. "Takeoff Bay Five Zero Four is ready. You are cleared for takeoff."

"Copy that, Air Boss," said Jenna. "Taxiing to takeoff bay." Jenna taxied the VF-1 Valkyrie through an open door to a takeoff bay. Ahead I can see the land and sky. "Flaps down, the board is green. Knight Two, taking off!"

She pushed the throttle, and I was pushed back. The takeoff bay disappeared, giving me a view of the Alaska landscape. We then faced upward, and I could see the blue cloud-studded sky. I could feel pressure in my ears.

"Knight Two is in the air!" yelled Jenna. "On route to JFK."

"Have a safe flight, Knight Two," said the SDF-1 air traffic control officer.

We continued climbing and climbing until we passed the clouds and there was nothing but a deep blue sky.

"Autopilot engaged," said Jenna. "We are now cruising at one hundred thousand feet over northern Canada and we are heading for JFK International Airport"  
I looked out the window over the Canadian landscape. I saw empty land, pockmarked with craters. I knew from my work that northern Canada was one huge forest. Now it was charred land. It looked like there was a massive forest fire after the initial bombardment.

I looked closer at the craters. There was a pattern. It was not based on the locations of cities and military bases, but one simple geometry. the craters were spaced nearly evenly, representing the positions of the Zentraedi ships.

"Jenna," I said. "Is there a way to call my parents."

"We have long distance wireless telephone network," said Jenna. "I can call SDF-1 and they can patch you in."

oooooooooooooooo

I gazed down at the blasted landscape below and found it hard to believe that New York survived. But then I saw the pictures and spoke to my parents. I decided just to look at Jenna as she flew the plane to New York. I ate some Dorito's tortilla chips, as I was hungry.

"Okay," said Jenna. "We're only an hour from New York, and we're beginning our final approach. We'll be approaching from the east."

She turned the plane and I felt it bank. I could see water below; that must be the Atlantic Ocean. I had not seen it this close in two years; for the past two years I only saw it from space.

"UNSM Knight Two to JFK Tower, I am approaching for a landing as scheduled in my flight plan," she said.

I looked and saw Long Island. I was looking at New York! Within minutes I would see Queens.

"Flaps down," she said. "Reducing power."

The features on the island appeared closer and closer. I could see roads and buildings. I could also see burnt, charred land. I saw a huge crater, which appeared bigger than the ones in Canada because we were closer to the ground. The crater appeared to be in Nassau County, just east of Queens.

"Final approach speed at ninety-five knots," said Jenna. "Landing gear down and locked."

"Copy that, Knight Two," said the JFK air traffic controller. "Runway is presently clear."

I looked out ahead and can see the skyline of Manhattan in the distance. I looked and saw some green thing to my right. It disappeared from view and I looked at the ground as it got closer. I could see the cars and the lampposts and read the signs on buildings. I then saw a fence and then a concrete runway.

I felt a bump. The VF-1 Valkyrie had touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the Queens borough of New York City.

Jenna slowed down the veritech plane and taxied it along the taxiways. She stopped it at a hangar with the UN military logo.

"Here we are," said Jenna. "Welcome to New York."

She opened the canopy and poressed the button to extend the ladders. I steppped down, feeling each step. Then I felt the surfact of the concrete.

Here I was, standing in New York City!

Jenna came down seconds later. A man driving a tractor approached us.

"Captain Jenna Murphy, UN Space Marines," she said.

"We were expecting you, ma'am," said the man who was in a UN military uniform. "SDF-1 informed us of your arrival."

"What is this place?" I asked.

"This is the United Nations Air Force hangar at John F. Kennedy International Aiport," said the man. "We keep transport jets inside, in case we want to fly someone straight to UN Headquarters. We're like an airline terminal. Don't worry, your veritech fighter will be safe inside. We will charge the Marines for storage, fuel, and repairs."

We went inside the hangar, which had a C-130 Hercules jet and a Star Goose shuttle, both with the markings of the UN Air Force. We were escorted by the Air Force personnel to the UN terminal. It was small and had a few benches and a recruitment poster for the UN Air Force. Aside from the door leading outside to the hangars and taxiway, there were two other doors. One read DO NOT ENTER. The other door read U.S. CUSTOMS.

Air Force baggage handlers placed my luggage onto a conveyer which led to ther U.S. Customs inspection area. Jenna and I went inside the Customs inspection area. I put my carry-ons on the small rubber conveyer belt.

"Hello there," said a U.S. Customs agent. "Where di you come from?"

"Outer space," I said. "I was on board the SDF-1 for two years. I came from New York to cover these events for the Associated Press. When the enemy attacked, I got trapped on board ship. We recently returned to Earth and I caught a ride home. Here is my passport."

"Looks okay," said the customs agent.

"I am Captain Jenna Murphy, UN Space Marines," she said. "I'm on leave and I am accompanying him to his family's home. He hasn't seen his family in two years. I have my own passport."

"Apollo Colony," said the customs agent. "Let me check." He types into the computer. We waited for a few minutes. "No red flags. Welcome to the United States of America."

So we went through with our carry-on luggage. There was a elliptical conveyer belt where my luggage came out. I came to ellect my luggage. An Air Force airman offered to take my luggage.

I went out and I heard her calling out to me.

"Mom!" I said. "Dad."

We all hugged.

"It's been so long," said Mom.

"I'm finally back," I said. "This is Jenna Murphy. She was averitech pilot I met on SDF-1."

"Hi," she said to them.

"Let's go home," said Dad. "A lot has happened since you were gone."

We all put my luggage into the green Dodge minivan. We got in and Dad put the van in gear. Within minutes, we had left the airport and were cruising north on the Van Wyck Expressway. Looking to my right, I could see plenty of construction and demolition sites.

I looked ahead and saw this long green object. I glimpsed it before Jenna and I touched down at JFK. Now I recognized it.

It was a Zentraedi space vessel.

"You must be wondering what that is," said Mom.

"I know what it is," I said. "It's obvious what happened."

"It looks like the war even reached here," said Jenna.

The van took the ramp leading to Queens Boulevard and Main Stret. Dad took a left on Queens Boulevard, passing by the Maple Grove Cemetery. The one thing I noticed as we drove along Queens Boulevard was there were a lot of military vehicles parked around- Humvees, APC's, tanks, and destroids. I could see the construction sites more closely. There were several buildings that were condemned due to fire damage.

We then reached a residential street in the Forest Hills neioghborhood of Queens. I could see the houses with their porches and front yards and the trees lining the streets. After a few minutes of driving along familiar-looking streets, we reached my street.

And we finally reached the house I lived in for most of my life.

"We're here," said Dad. "Home."

I looked at the home. The last time I was here, it was the Christmas before the launch of SDF-1 Macross. I could still see the oak tree that grew in our front yard; it had been there for as long as I could remember.

"So this is where you lived," said Jenna.

"That's right," I said.

I went through the front door and into the living room. I noticed we had new couches. The coffee table and the Sony color television was the same though. I went to the fireplace, looking at my high school graduation photo. I looked to the dining room, where I had Christmas dinner. I went out and we all brought my belongings into the living room.

I carried my luggage upstairs. I looked at the second floor hallway. I opened the door and there was a room with a bed and a dresser.

This was my bedroom.

"So this is where you slept," said Jenna. She looked out the window. "It's such a nice view, although I'm sure there wasn't a Zentraedi cruiser outside the last time you were here."

I looked out at the alien spaceship. "I've got to ask Mom and Dad about that day," I said. I opened my luggage and I hung my suit and put some of my other clothes on the bed.

"You can stay here for a while," said Mom, standing outside the door. "I guess your apartment in Manhattan was already rented out."

"What will you be doing?" asked Dad.

"Today I'm gonna settle in here and unpack," I replied. "tomorrow morning I'll go to work."

"Do you think you still have a job?" asked Mom.

"I've been on assignment for the past two years. The least I can do is go to the office and submit my articles."

"Listen, we just called all of your brothers and sisters and told them the news," said Dad. "They are all coming here for your welcome home party."

"I will sure have a lot of stories to tell them," I said.

"I'll get to meet your family that you've been talking about," said Jenna.

I went downstairs and turned on the television. There was news on, and the image appeared to be a construction site.

"I'm right here in Nassau County where the reconstruction efforts are underway," said a reporter. "thousands of volunteers from New York have come to work."

"I like doing this," said this man with a wild beard. "Before the war, I was homeless and begging for food and money. I like having something else to do. I'm building new homes, and besides I get free room and board."

ooooooooooooooo

In the early evening the doorbell rang. I answered the door.

"Sally!" I said.

She said my name, and we gave each other a hug. Sally was there, along with her husband and her two-year-old daughter. What I noticed was that she was pregnant again.

"When did you become pregnant?" I asked.

"I think it was the beginning of this year," said Sally.

"Definitely," said her husband.

"Hey guys," a male voice said.

"Tony," I said, giving him a hug.

"Haven't seen you in a long time," said my brother Tony. "A lot's happened. Sally's pregnant again. I'm now a firefighter in the FDNY. As for Tammy and Oliver, they have much to tell you. Who is this?"

"My name is Jenna," said Jenna. "You must be Tony."

"Yeah, well..."

"Hello, everyone!" yelled a female voice.

"Tammy," I said, giving her a hug.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"Out in space."

"You must have had really interesting adventures," said my sister Tammy. "I graduated from New York University last year and I'm working as a fashion designer."

"Hey you guys," said this male voice. I looked at this young man wearing a Columbia University sweater.

"Hey Oliver," I said, hugging him.

"I'm still in college, bro," he said. "You know, I saw your message on TV. It kepot repeating over and over. I called Mom and Dad about it."

"Now that we are all here," said Dad. "Let's have dinner. I saved this for the day that my long lost son would return."

ooooooooo

And so we had dinner. The main course was a New York strip steak that my parents kept in the freezer for three months until my return. Mom cooked it along with roasted red potatoes and apsaragus.

"I haven't eaten like this in a while," said Oliver.

"Foods been kind of tight since the alien attack," said Dad. "This is a special meal for a special occasion."

"So tell us all about what you've been doing the past two years," said Mom.

"Where to begin," I said, facing my family. "It all started when I flew to Macross City to cover the launch of the SDF-1. I was at the parade grounds when this huge beam of light appeared."

I continued my story, telling my family about my first encounter with the Zentraedi, Jenna picking me up and bringing me to the ship after battle, the space fold that took me near Pluto, the building of Macross City inside the ship, the constant Zentraedi attacks, and the final climactic battle.

"That's an interesting story," said Tammy.

"Tell us about yourself, Jenna," said Mom.

"Okay," she said. "I wa born in Ireland, and my father moved the family to the Apollo Colony during the Global Civil War; he wanted to shelter us from the problems on Earth. I grew up in this enclosed city built partially underground. I really wanted to go back to Earth. I signed up to be an officer in the United Nations Space Marines. I took pilot training, and then I was so good I was offered training to become a veritech fighter pilot."

"What'a a veritech?" asked Sally.

"It's a transformable fighter that can transform into a giant suit of armor for ground operations," said Jenna. "It was suitable for the Marines, since they often train in combined air-sea-land operations. I was assigned to Knight Squadron, whioch would train the first Marine veritech pilots. After months of intense training, I became qualified for the veritech fighter. I was stationed in Macross City."

"What happened when the aliens attacked?" asked Tony.

"We were launching the SDF-1. After its arrival into Earth orbit, we were supposed to fly our planes up there. My squadron was assigned as part of the Marine detachment for the ship's maiden cruise. The main gun fired, and soon the Zentraedi fleet attacked our fleet. When enemy fighters penetrated into the atmosphere, Knight Squadron and the other squadrons were sent up there. They got through our missiles and drone fighters, so we had to engage them. During the fight, one of the Zentraedi fighters crashed in Macross City. I flew down there and switched to battloid mode- that is the mode where it looks like a suit of armor. That's when I first saw the Zentraedi pilot. He was huge, about forty feet tall. I shot him down and I saw a man on the streewt nearby."

"That was me," I said.

"We continued to fly combat operations after the space fold to Pluto. We were often the first wave of defenders, since we lost most of our drone fighters in the First Battle of Macross City. I tried to make the best of our situation. Macross City was built inside the SDF-1, so there wwere places to go for food and entertainment. Meat was a rarity, since we did not bring cows with us into space. It took over a year for us to get back to Earth."

"Why couldn't the people on SDF-1 leave the ship when it came back the first time?" asked Dad.

"Earth Defense Command Headquarters denied permission for the civilians to leave. I was so mad I would have flown him back to New York. But then the enemy attacked, and I had to go out there again. Two months later, the North American Ontario Quadrant gave permission for the people of Macross City to settle in Toronto. But then the aliens attacked, and Toronto was destroyed."

"I remember hearing that on the news," said Sally.

"Anyway, we went back into space. We stayed there for another year. I continued to drill and to conduct combat operations. Then the final battle with the entire Zentraedi fleet happened. I flew in that mission. I followed the SDF-1 back down to Earth and landed there. After the battle, I was flying recon, looking for people who survived the war."

"Did you lose any friends during the war?" asked Mom.

Jenna looked at her plate for a few seconds. "Yes," she said. "I have. Not a day goes by that I don't think of them. I learned how to appreciate life. They died so I could be here. So your son could return home. You know, there was this time when this beauty pageant was held in space. I entered."

"Did you win?" asked Tony.

"No."

Finally we had wine in wineglasses. The wine had been bottled the year that the SDF-1 Macross began its journey.

We all then had a toast to my homecoming. And another one to those who did not make it home.

oooooooooooooo

Later that evening, my welcome home party died down. Jenna was on the couch. I brought a blanket to her. The television was on and the volume was low.

"Are you comfortable?" I asked.

"I slept in worse conditions during my Marine officer training," she said, resting her head against a pillow.

"Well, I've got to go to work tomorrow," I said. "Got to catch the train to Manhattan." I kissed her on the lips. "Good night."

ooooooooooooo

The next day, I had a quick breakfast of corn flakes that were provided as part of the daily ration. I got dressed in my suit, did my hear, and made myself as presentable as I could. After all, I was finally reporting back to my New York office.

"You better bring this," said Dad, handing me a Heckler and Koch USP 40 semiautomatic pistol. "The world's a lot more dangerous place, and just having this will deter most people."

"Thanks," I said. "I learned how to use these things when I was in Macross City."

I went to the mirror to check myself. Then I went into the green Dodge minivan. I sat as Dad drove me to the MTA train station in Forest Hills.

"Have a nice day," he said.

I went to the ticket vending machine and bought a train ticket and transfers. I walked through the turnstile into the boarding platform. There was a trash bin, a Coca-cola vending machine that was empty, and posters on the walls advertising goods and services and stores. It was crowded as it usually is on weekday mornings. I noticed some of the people in the station were openly carrying pistols. A MTA security guard stood watch, armed with a submachinegun.

Then the train arrived. I heard the brakes squeal. a voice announced that we would start boarding. All of us passed through another set of turnstiles entering the train and I sat in one of the plastic seats. I noticed the crowd of people and stains on the floor. I also noticed the MTA security guard armed with a submachinegun. They did not carry submachineguns two years ago; I wondered if the recent war had something to do with it. Anyway, I felt the train accelerate and I was on my way. I knew the train would pass through Brooklyn before going under the East River and emerging in Manhattan.

After over half an hour and the train getting more crowded, I finally arrived at a subway station in Manhattan. The doors opened and we all got out. It was slow to get out, as there were more people leaving than entering. I soon entered the platform of the packed subway station, barely glancing at the ad posters on the walls. I climbed up the stairs to emerge on the streets of Manhattan. I was immedaitely greeted with the skyscrapers that towered above me. Manhattan was certainly a lot different from Queens. While Queens had large open spaces and single -family houses, Manhattan had tall buildings crowded together. The streets were packed with cars and rates at the parking garages were high, around ten to fifteen dollars. I sometimes wondered if people who wanted to utilize private transportation in Manhattan recruited drivers from Bellevue's psychiatric ward. They seem to be the only people who would want to drive in Manhattan.

I walked along the crowded sidewalks along with men and women dressed like me. There was a hot dog vendor selling hot dogs; I noticed the price was higher than usual. I finally reached the building where my New York office is, on the corner of Broadway and Liberty Street. There was the lobby bank and the ATM's and the New York Style Pizza fast food place. I entered the lobby holding my black briefcase. I went to the elevator and got in with a bunch of other people also coming to work. the button for the seventeenth floor was already pressed. I waited until the elevator reached my floor, and I got out with a few others. I walked along the carpeted hallway until reaching the Associated Press office.

I entered into the office lobby. There was a desk for the receptionist, as well chairs, sofas, and a wooden table. There wewre magazines on the wooden table.

"May I help you," asked the receptionist, a red-haired woman.

"Yes, I work here," I said, introducing myself.

"I don't remember you."

"I was out on assignment for two years."

I went into the main office which had all these cubicles where we reporters would work on our stories.

Hey, Scoop!" yelled someone. I looked and saw a man wearting a suit. He had brown hair and I recognized him.

"Yes, it's me," I said.

"Where have you been?" asked Quinn Sullivan, my longtime friend. We gave each other a hug.

"Out on assignment," I said. "Unexpected things kept me from coming here until now."

"Well, I guess you'll want to see Mr. Chegwidden."

"So he's still around."

"That's right."

I walked into the chief editor's office. There was a desk and some chairs and a bookcase and a television wall unit. The Brooklyn Bridge was visible from the office. There was a personal computer and a telephone on the desk. Sitting behind the desk was a man in his late thirties wearing a suit and eyeglasses. On the desk was the nameplate AJ Chegwidden.

"So you've returned," he said.

"That's right, sir," I said.

"We all heard that message from you last year. It was even big news at the time, since you and the others in Macross city were reported to have been killed in a terrorist attack the day of the launch. What have you to report?"

"A lot. I've been on the ship for two years. Macorss City was rebuilt inside the ship and we were under constant attack by the Zentraedi. As it turned out, the Zentraedi faction teamed up with us when the Zentraedi Supreme Commander arrived to make a final assault on Earth. I have articles and notes from the past two years on these CD-ROM's." I handed the CD-ROM's from my briefcase to Mr. Chegwidden.

"Let me take a look while you wait here," he said. He looked at the computer monitor screen for a long time, skimming through my notes and articles. "Interesting story you wrote," he said.

"I rented an office during my stay on SDF-1," I said. "I covered all sorts of events, from battles to births to deaths and even a beauty pageant and a wedding. I also had to do all the administrative and accounting work. I actually made a profit for the AP."

"And you'll probably make more when we sell these stories to publishers," said Mr. Chegwidden. "I think we should all go out for a drink after work, to celebrate your return. You had the longest assignment in our office. You may go now."

"Where?" I asked. "I mean, I don't have a desk here."

"Find an empty one. Do some research on what was happening on Earth while you were gone."

And so I did. And I learned a lot.

About three billion people were killed. The Zentraedi did not seem to target specific sites in its initial volley; the ships just fired downward. There were quite a few population centers and military bases left intact after the event that would be known as the Rain of Death.

The Rain of Death caused migrations, just like previous wars had. People moved either to cities with the basic water and power infrastructure intact, or they built villages near water sources. Many parts of the world were isolated, due to the fact that the Rain of Death also shattered the network of highways, railroads, canals, aqueducts, and power lines.

The UN forces had their greatest presence in the United States, China, Britain, and Israel. The UN's reconstruction efforts began there. But other people began their own reconstruction efforts. These other people happened to be survivors with offensive military capability. They carved out nations, promising protection to the residents from any hostile aliens as well as order. These new nations rejected any UN aid and threatened to attack UN troops or aircraft that entered their territory. The UN, not wanting to start another shooting war on Earth while it was rebuilding, declined to do anything about it.

Breetai, who led the mission to capture the SDF-1 back when it was first launched and later fought with us against Dolza, assumed the position of Supreme Commander of all Zentraedi. He offered the survivors of Dolza's forces the opportunity to come serve under his command. Most of them joined Breetai, some of them fled the solar system to parts unknown, and some of them decided to continue their war against Earth. Several reconnaisance aircraft were shot down over parts of the world that had not made contact with SDF-1 or UN Headquarters, Zentraedi holdovers were suspected. As we still had a lot of rebuilding to do, the UN Secretary-General has decided to concentrate the military forces on defense of known populated areas for the time being. And Breetai provided assistance in these reconstruction efforts, sending Zentraedi combat engineers to build things like dams and power transmission lines which their large size could be of use.

ooooooooooooooo

For lunch I decided to have a slice of mushroom pizza from the New York Style Pizza restaurant on the first floor of the office building. the pizza cost about seven dollars, a lot higher than I remember. Then again, with most of Earth's land surface charred and with the military using up most of the resources in rebuilding and defense, a slice of pizza was going to be very expensive. Quinn sat with me across the table.

"I've heard it all before," said Quinn. "But to meet someone in the middle of an alien invasion?"

"That's right," I said. "Jenna and I have been though a lot. She came with me to visit New York and meet my family."

"I'd like to meet her."

"Maybe you will, Quinn."

After I finished my lunch, I returned to the office.

"I spoke with the Chairman of the Board," said Mr. Chegwidden. "The Board of Directors are holding a meeting, and they want to talk to you."

And so I did.

oooooooooooo

Mr. Chegwidden and I went up a few floors to the Associated Press's corporate office. We entered this huge room with an oak table. People dressed in expensive suits all sat around.

"So, Chegwidden, this is the reporter who spent two years on boards that ship," said this old white-haired man in a three-piece suit.

"Yes, Mr. Chairman," said Mr. Chegwidden.

"Tell us your story and start from the beginning."

I looked at each member of the Associated Press Board of Directors. I then told my story, beginning with my arrival at the shipyard where the SDF-1 launched into space. I summarized the space fold, the return to Earth, the second flight, and the final battle with Zentraedi Supreme Commander Dolza. The initial presentation to the board took about fifty minutes.

"I continued to cover the reconstruction efforts from Macross City until I arranged transportation back to New York," I finished.

"What was going on over there just as you left?" asked the chairman.

"The Macross City Hall announced it would be relocating the city just outside the SDF-1. Construction was underway when I left the city."

"There were four million Zentraedi ships?" asked a woman.

"Yes, that was how much there were. Most of them were destroyed, others crashed on Earth, and others decided to join Breetai."

"Breetai?" asked a man.

"He was the Zentraedi commander who led the initial mission to capture the ship. The Supreme Commander later marked him and his entire fleet for destruction, so he fought with us. He is now Zentraedi Supreme Commander and he is an ally."

"You have an interesting story," said the chairman. "We will discuss this matter in private. You may go now."

"Yes, sir," I said.

ooooooooooooo

Mr. Chegwidden had copies of my notes and reporters uploaded into the office servers. I reviewed my notes and articles, hoping to write another article to summarize my two years on board the SDF-1.

"Hello there," said Mr. Chegwidden. "Settling in nicely."

"Yes, sir," I said. "I'm hoping to write a new story."

"It will have to wait. You will be getting thirty days' leave."

"Thirty days' leave, sir?"

"You have been on assignment for two years. You need a vacation."

"Okay then." I then called my home number.

"Hello," said Jenna.

"Hi, Jenna," I said. "I was just informed I'm on vacation."

"Really? So you won't be going to work?"

"Not for a month. It's a paid vacation. I've been on assignment for two years."

"You were working the whole time? I haven't noticed."

oooooooooooooo

And so we later went out to an Irish pub just down the street. We had beer-battered fish fillets and Budweiser beer. Fush was cheap, as the Atlantic Ocean was just a mile from here. I listened to the life stories of my co-workers Art and Cassie as well as Quinn. and I of course told my story.

"I remember the air raid siren going on," said Cassie. "I went down into the buioklding;'s bomb shelter. I heard on the radio that Nassau County was bombed."

"I didn't know how serious it was until I heard that destruction was being reported all over ther world," said Art. "The next morning, we had to stay in our homes. There were tanks and soldiers in the streets."

"I actually saw that alien spaceship crash," said Quinn, sipping a beer. "There was all this smoke and fire."

"At least you've been busy," I said. "I was on the SDF-1's onservation lounge. I saw the Zentraedi ships fire upon Earth. When it happened, I thought they fired on the ship. I thought you were all dead."

"We're not that easy to kill," said Quinn. "So tell us about Jenna."

"She was a veritech fighter pilot," I said. After the Zentraedi pilot came out of his crashed fighter, she was the one who flew down and changed into a battloid and took him down. I never saw a plane do that before. She took me and I sat behind here. We had a few more encounters with the Zentraedi until I first boarded the SDF-1. She's a sweet girl who loved the company of other people and having fun in general."

"Did you know anyone who was killed?" asked Art.

"Yes," I said. "The war changed me, and it changed Jenna as well."

"We all changed," said Cassie. "We all knew people who were killed in the Rain of Death."

"I propose a toast," said Quinn. "To Scoop's safe return, and to all of us, that we may record this critical era in our history."

And we toasted.

ooooooooooooooo

Jenna and I stood on the boat with the other passengers, both locals and tourists, most of whom were children. I looked around, seeing the skylines of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The sky was blue and clear. We looked ahead to our destination- a green copper statue of a lady wearing a crown and holding a torch in one hand and a tablet in the other. I took a picture, and then I took another picture with Jenna in the foreground. The boat soon docked.

"We have now arrived," said the boat's skipper. "All passengers please disembark."

We both stepped onto the pier and walked to the entrance to the building which served as the statue's base. A tour guide greeted us.

"Welcome," she said. "This statue is called Liberty Enlightening the World. It was a gift to us from France back in the nineteenth century A.D. Come inside."

We entered the main lobby. It looked the same as the last time I went here, although I knew it had been renovated at least once in my lifetime. I could see framed photographs hanging on the wall as well as a souvenier shop. The tour guide continued speaking, talking about the photographs and the history of the statue.

"As you know, this statue's skin is made of copper," said the tour guide. "It now has this green finish. It is not a solid piece of copper, it is hollow inside, supported by a steel and concrete framework. A small tower was built inside the statue. Please present your passes and we can climb to the top."

We all presented our passes, which I purchased at the ticket booths in the dock in Brooklyn. Then we followed the tour guide up the stairs, walking and walking. There were a lot of stairs. It had been a long time since I did this. Jenna had never been here before.

We finally emerged in the small room located in the statue's crown. I looked out and I could see Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, and New York Bay. I noticed many ocean vessels floating in the waters near harbor; the dockworkers loading precious cargo. The Staten Island Ferry was taking passengers from Manhattan to Staten Island. Walking around, I could see a UN Ocean Patrol destroyer escorting a fleet of merchant cargo ships out towards the Atlantic Ocean.

I took my Nikon camera and took pictures of Jenna at various angles around the tower.

Then we all went down to the base of the statue and headed back for the next boat.

oooooooooooooo

Jenna and I entered the theater on Broadway in Manhattan one evening. We were both well-dressed.

"It's been a long time since I've been to a play," said Jenna.

"Me too," I said. "It's amazing how New Yorkers seldom visit the attractions. It's a weekday night, so tickets weren;t sold out. It's hard to get tickets for weekend evenings."

"You are spending a lot of money, Mister."

"I have two years' worth of accumulated pay," I said. "I can afford it."

The usher, dressed in a white shirt, black pants, black vest, and black bowtie, showed us to our seats. They were midway between the front and the back.

"Welcome," said the host, a man dressed in a tuxedo. "Tonight you are provileged to see a Streetcar Named Desire. This play has been running in this theater for three months. We will now begin Act One."

The red curtains opened, and I saw the first scene set up by the stage artists, as well as the actors and actresses.

ooooooooooooo

"So this is the lady you were talking about," said Quinn Sullivan, sipping his coffee at the Roast Coffee Shop in Greenwich Village.

"That's me," said Jenna. "I was the one who saw him after dispatching that giant. So tell me about yourself."

"Well, I'm from Connecticut and I took a job as a reporter for the Associated Press after graduating with a degree in journalism," said Quinn. Scoop and I were one of the new recruits."

"Scoop?" asked Jenna.

"It's what they call me in the office," I said.

"Because you're always trying to get a scoop?"

"Actually, no," said Quinn. "You see, it happened when we were having this party. He offered to bake a cake, but he couldn't find the baking powder. He finally set it to bake. But something went wrong. That was when we found pout he didn't use a scoop of baking powder; he used a scoop of dishwasher detergent."

"Ha," said Jenna, smiling.

"Not one of my better moments," I said, sipping some coffee.

oooooooooooo

One night Jenna and I sat in the back porch of my family's house in Queens. I could see the full moon.

"You know," I said. "This reminds me of this song that sometimes plays on the oldies station. I think it goes like this."

"What?" asked Jenna.

"If you get caught between the moon and New York City, the best thing you can do is fall in love."

"Whoever wrote that song was right," said Jenna as she put her arm around my back and kissed me. "Thanks for showing me around the place. I still have on week left of leave before I have to go back to the SDF-1."

"What do you want to do?" I asked.

"Visit my parents on Apollo Colony. I'd like you to come with me."

"Meet your parents?" I asked.

"I met your family. Now it's time for you to meet mine." 


	22. Meet the Parents

Jenna checked the engines of the VF-1 Valkyrie. "Everything looks okay," she said. she opened the cargo compartment. "Everything's in there, including my gifts and souveneirs."

"So we're ready to go?" I asked as I stood inside the United Nations hangar at John F. Kennedy International Airport, which also had a Star Goose shuttle and a C-130 Hercules jet parked inside too. Jenna and I were both wearing flight suits.

"All we need is a last-minute systems check and clearance from the tower."

We both climbed into the cockpit. I saw the instruments light up as Jenna turned them on. She continued checking all the instruments and tested all of the warning lights.

"Check the pressure seals of your suit," said Jenna.

I did so, checking the pressure gauge. "Suits fully pressurized," I said.

"All systems are go," says Jenna. She taxied the plane out to one of the taxiways, waiting behind a 747 passenger jet. "UNSM Flight Knight Three to JFK Tower, we are ready for takeoff."

"Roger that, Knight Three," says the JFK air traffic control.

We waited for a few minutes, as JFK was a busy airport even during these times of reconstruction. I looked around at the airport buildings.

"JFK Tower to UNSM Knight Three, you are cleared for takeoff."

Jenna taxied to the runway and then pushed the throttle forward. I was pushed back. I looked to my right and the ground appeared farhter and farther away. I could see streets and buildings and cars. Soon the land was replaced with the blue of the Atlantic Ocean. We continued climbing up mand up. I coulkd see an altimeter in front of me. We were passing fifty thousand feet. Soon we were at one hundred thousand feet.

"You all right back there?" asked Jenna.

"Yeah," I said.

"We'll be pulling three g's now. You made sure you did not eat, right?"

"Right."

And I felt myself squeezed back into my seat as Jenna hurled the Valkyrie upwards into the air. This was quite uncomfortable.

"I pulled more g's during combat," she said.

"But you never flew in combat for more than an hour at a time," I said. "This is gonna take hours."

I looked and I saw Earth's blue sky fade into black space. I felt squeezed back for a few more minutes.

Then the squeezing sensation stopped.

"We have now reached Earth orbit," said Jenna. "Take a look around. We're going to accelerate to reach lunar orbit in forty minutes."

And so I did. I looked at the blue planet below. I could see Europe and Africa and western Asia. I looked at the wreckage of Zentraedi vessels. I noticed Spacy construction crews salvaging raw materials from the wrecked ships for the reconstruction efforts back on Earth.

"How do we avoid collision with these wrecked ships?" I asked.

"The Spacy's Orbital Traffic Command assigns ecit vectors for spacecraft leaving Earth," said Jenna. "One exit vector is above the Atlantic Ocean, about two hundred miles from New York. Another exit vector is in the Pacific Ocean, just a few miles north of Honolulu, Hawaii."

I continued watching the scene from Earth orbit. It had been months since I was last in space.

"Here we go," said Jenna. "We will be heading for the moon now."

And so I felt myself squeezed back as the veritech fighter plane accelerated towards the moon. The acceleration lasted for a few minutes, and then it stopped and I felt weightless again.

"We are now on course for the moon," said Jenna. "You will feel heavy at times as the plane's autopilot makes course corrections."

The journey from Earth to moon was the longest part, lasting some eighteen hours.

"So what will we do when we get there?" I asked.

"We'll rent a car from ALuCE base and drive to my parents' house in Apollopolis," said Jenna. "Then we're gonn have dinner. You're gonna love my sisters and brothers."

I saw the moon get larger and larger. I felt pushed back as the Valkyrie slowed down in relation to the moon. The moon eventually occupied ahalf of the view. I could see the skeletal framework of a huge spaceship orbiting the moon.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's a new ship that was under construction for quite some time," said Jenna. "The keel was laid four years ago, they;re still building the skeleton. With most of our resources going to reconstrcution, completion might be delayed a bit. Now make sure your seat belt is fastened, because we are approaching the entry vector. UNSM Knight Three to Lunar Orbital Traffic Control. We are arriving as scheduled to the ALuCE landing strip."

We waited a few more minutes in lunar orbit.

"We will be descending now," said Jenna.

I felt the retrothrusters ignite and we got closer and closer to the moon. I could see the cratered landscape, battered by meterorites for millions of years. The moon was not as vartied as the Earth; there were no cities or farms or highways blanketing this world, just barren cratered rock.

"We're approaching ALuCE base," said Jenna.

I looked forward and I saw some domes rising out of the ground. That was the Apollo Colony. Construction had started twenty-two years ago, and the first lunar habitats were finished four years later. Jenna had told me her father moved the family to an apartment in Apollo Colony during the Global Civil War. Later, as more people moved to the moon and the colony was expanded, they moved into a house built at the underground level of Apollopolis.

"Switching to guardian mode," said Jenna, as she moved the G lever. The veritech slowed down even further. Soon we were hovering a few hundred feet above the surface of the moon. We approached a hangar and we touched down.

"Welcome to the moon," said Jenna. "Make sure your suit's pressurized."

I got out and looked about. There were other veritech fighters and Star Goose shuttles inside. People in spacesuits walked about, doing critical work. We got our luggage and then walked towards an airlock. I watched the air pressure gauges and the airlock cycled in air. Then we emerged into this corridor. There were UN Air Force personnel walking about.

"The motor pool should be this way," said Jenna, taking my hand. We walked along the corridors of ALuCE base.

"This is a really impressive place," I said.

"I saw most of it get built," said Jenna. "When I first moved here, the colony consisted of habitation modules for the workers and their families. I would sometimes look through a window and see the pressure dome being built by the lunar construction crew."

"Amazing how all of that was happening during the Global Civil War."

"People wanted to buold a society far removed from the troubles of Earth. Here's the motor pool."

We were in an office with a desk. A sergeant stood at the desk.

"I want to rent a vehicle," said Jenna. "A two door car will suffice."

"Let me get the paperwork for you, ma'am," said the major.

Jenna signed the paperwork, and then an Air Force airman handed her the keys. We left the motor pool office and walked to the garage.

"Here it is," said Jenna, referring to a blue Mercedes. Jenna got into the driver's seat and started the engine.

"Vehicles on the moon use a methanol-oxygem fuel cell," she said as she drove out of the garage and trhough a corridor. "There's plenty of stuff for you to see on the moon."

"It must have taken a lot of engineering," I said.

"Yes. The walls are six feet thick and reinforced with a forcefield. We have an agricultural dome where we grow on our food. With food prices on Earth really high, I would not be surprised if Apollo colony was exporting food to Earth. The air recycling plant is underground. The whole place is powered by a thermonuclear reaction furnace located in the industrial sector. Also outside is the original lunar habitt where we used to live before Apollopolis was built. I remember when the city was finally pressurized and we could all move in. There was a big celebration. anyhway, we're coming up on Apollopolis."

And soon we emerged. I could see tall buildings and billboards and flashing neon lights. This was like Macross City. I could see cars driving down the streets and people walking along the sidewalks. I could see businesses like restaruants and clothing stores and casinos.

"Last time I was here, twenty-two thousand people lived here," said Jenna. "It was a hell of a lot bigger than when it was just six hundred people."

We made a right turn and then I notiuced we were going down this circular ramp. "The residential section is in the lower level," said Jenna. We were now driving along a residential street lined with houses. "Here we are."

Jenna parked the car next to the curb. I looked and saw a two story house. A hundred feet above the house was a roof supporting by a great deal of internal bracing.

"Wow," I said. "This was surely a feat of engineering. It must have taken years to build this."

"It took ten years," said Jenna. "The SDF-1 arrived on Earth just as the whole place was being pressurized. I was in my family's apartment in the habitation module where the engineers and construction workers lived while they were building Apollopolis. Well, ;let's go inside."

We walked to the front door and Jenna rang the doorbell. A woman with blond hair answered the door. She was wearing a blue dress.

"Jenna," said the woman. "It's you."

"Mom," said Jenna, giving her mom a hug.

"Is that really Jenna out there," said this male voice.

"Hey Dad," said Jenna, hugging this man with red-and-white hair.

"It's been two years," said her dad.

"Is this the young man you were telling us about," said her mom.

"That's me," I said, introducing myself. "I sure have interesting stories to tell you."

"Let's wait until the whole family's here," said Jenna's dad.

I went inside. I looked at the living room; it was a typical living room with a television set, a coffee table, couches, and a bookcase. Next to trhe living room was a kitchen, and there were stairs leading to the second floor of the house.

Jenna led me upstairs. "This is my room," she said, pointing to one of the wooden doors. She opened it and I entered. It looked like a typical girl's room, with a carpet and bed and a bookcase with stuffed animals along with books. Jenna sat on the bed.

"You know, I lived a very sheltered lifestyle when I was on the moon," she said. "All of us lunar colonists were pretty close. The Global Civil War was only something that happened in news broadcasts. I would sometimes go to the observation lounge in the lunar habitat and look at ther Earth. I wanted to go there. Construction expanded after the UN formed the United Earth Government. They built the ALuCE base afew years ago, as well as a civilian spaceport to facilitate travel between the Earth and the moon. I didn't want to stay here. I wanted to go up to Earth and see what it's like. I wanted to fly spaceships- that was one of my dreams. I learned that the UN Space Marines were looking to train pilots, so I enlisted. From Basic Officer Training I went to Basic Flight Training, and then to Veritech Fighter Pilot Training."

"And you picked me up when the Zentraedi attacked Macross City," I said.

oooooooooooooo

I was sitting in the living room watching television when the doorbell rang. Jenna answered the door.

"Alex," she said.

"Hi, Jenna," said this young man with blond hair, giving Jenna a hug.

"Are the others coming too?" she asked.

"You bet."

"This is my brother Alex," Jenna said to me.

"Hi," I said, introducing myself.

"It's nice to meet you," said Alex. This woman with brown hair entered the room, and she had a baby with her. "This is my wife Ellen and my daughter Jamie."

"Hi," I said to them.

"Look who's here," said a female voice. I looked and saw a red-haired womna in her early twenties wearing a blue blouse and blue jeans.

"I'm so glad to see you, Daisy," said Jenna, giving her a hug.

"Hi," I said, introducing myself.

"You must be Jenna's boyfriend," said Daisy, shaking my hand. "I'm her sister Daisy."

"Hey guys," said this young man with brown hair. "I heard Jenna's back and she brought a man."

"That's right," said Jenna.

"I'm Cameron," he said. "Jenna's brother."

"Hi," I said.

"Hey guys," said this high-pitched female voice. I looked and saw this teenage girl wearing this green shirt and khaki shorts. "I just got off work at the mall. So Jenna's really here."

"This is my sister Grace," Jenna said to me.

"Hi," I said, extending my hand.

"Sup," she said.

"Now that we're all here," said Jenna's dad, "Let's have dinner."

And so we did. Our dinner was pork chops. I had barbecue sauce along with the pork chops.

Jenna told her parents and brothers and sisters the entire story of her deployment on board SDF-1 and about how she got together with me.

"How did it feel every time you went out there?" asked Cameron.

"Every time I took off, I prayed I would come back safely," said Jenna.

"I'm glad you came back," said Daisy.

"I had one close call. My plane was struck and I was injured. Life support went offline. Fortunately, one of my wingmates found me and pushed me to the ship. I stayed in the hospital for a while. I'm grateful that she saved my life."

"What happened to her?" asked Ellen.

"She didn't make it."

"So tell us about yourself," Jenna's mom said to me.

"Okay," I said. "I guess I got into journalism when I was in high school. I used to be shy, so in my freshman year in high school I volunteered for the school newspaper. I really liked it, talking to all these people and writing articles on them. I later went to Columbia University and I got an internship in the Associated Press office. After graduating from Columbia, I became a full-fledged reporter, even traveling to other countries. My boss Mr. Chegwidden informed me of the SDF-1's launch, and I took a flight to Macross City the day before the launch. On the day of the launch, I went to the shipyard to cover the event. That was when the ship's main gun fired and wee had to take cover. I ran back to the hotel, and I saw the Zentraedi fighter crash. The pilot came out and he was forty feet tall. Later, one of the UN fighters came down and transformed into a battloid and shot the pilot. That was where I met Jenna and she gave me a ride to get me to safety. We went on board the SDF-1 and it took us to solar orbit near Pluto. The fold drive disappeared, so we had to go back using conventional propulsion. As Jenna said, Macross City was rebuilt inside the ship. I opened an office and started writing news reports. It took a year to get back to Earth, and because of the battle over Toronto, we had to go back into space. It was not until the final battle with the main Zentraedi fleet that we were able to return to Earth. Jenna later gave me a ride to New York and I submitted my articles. I'm on vacation now."

"I guessed you covered the beauty pageant Jenna was in," said Jenna's dad.

"That's right," I said. "I made sure to keep detailed notes."

"You know, we just finished building the furnace for the SDF-2," said Jenna's dad. "It's that ship that is being constructed in lunar orbit. I guess it will be a few more years before the ship can fly."

"I noticed you've changed, Jenna," said Alex.

"I know," said Jenna. "I've been fighting the Zentraedi for two years. The war has changed all of us."

"When do you have to go back?" asked Cameron.

"In about a week," said Jenna. "I have my veritech at ALuCE, so I can just fly back to Earth. It's about eighteen hours."

ooooooooooooooooooo

The next day, Jenna took me to this place in Apollopolis. The sign on the building read LUNAR SURFACE TOURS. We went to the front desk which was inside the lobby. The lobby had all these posters with pictures of the lunar surface.

"I'd like to rent two spacesuits please," said Jenna.

"Okay," said the man behind the counter. He takes Jenna's credit card and runs it through. "Okay, ma'am."

We both went through a door, and there was this room where a man took measurements. He then gave us spacesuits. He gave us instructions on how to put them on and make sure they are sealed. I fastened the helmet and then checked the pressure seals. TYhe pressure inside the suit was at 760, which was normal.

We were then escorted to the airlock. There was a sign reading ALL PERSONS MUST HAVE PRESSURIZED SPACESUITS BEYOND THIS POINT. We and other visitors entered the airlock. I saw the pressure gauge go down. Then a green light came on, and we went into an unpressurized room. It was huge, with vehicles parked inside.

"Welcome," I heard over the radio. "I'm your driver Dante. We will be driving to the landing site. Step inside."

We all boarded this bus and I sat down next to Jenna.

"This tour bus carries its own fuel and oxidant," said Dante. "Unlike driving on Earth, we have to carry our own oxidant. Let's roll."

And so we did. I felt the bus move as it left the garage. It was nighttime, so the headlights lit the way.. We first drove around the complex, including the original lunar habitat and the Apollopolis spaceport and the ALuCE base. Then we drove off away from Apollopolis.

"Not much to see," I said, seeing the barren mountains and plains.

"There's a lunar mining station under construction a few miles from here," said Jenna.

The bus stops. "Here we are, folks," said Dante. "The site of the first landing on the moon."

We all stepped out and took a look at the plaque marking the spot where astronauts first stepped here. It was a big deal at the time, considering that space travel was not common back then. I looked and saw the lights of Apollopolis in the distance. I made sure to taker picutres; my digital camera worked in the vacuum.

We all went back on the bus and Dante took us to the garage. Soon we all went through the airlock and returned our spacesuits.

oooooooooo

During my stay at Apollo Colony, Jenna took me around. We went to museums and parks and theaters and casinos and restaurants. She showed me the observatory. I got to see New York City from the moon. Jenna then showed me the view of the SDF-1. I could see the new Macross City under construction. We even had a picnic in the park underneath the full Earth. The food was just orindary- potato chips, water, and a pastrami sandwich, the view was great, not to mention the full Earth.

But finally it was time for us to go. Jenna had to go back to her duties, and I had to go back to New York. She took me to the Apollopolis spaceport after packing my things and saying goodbye to her parents. The spaceport was small compared to JFK Airport, as Apollopolis had a population of twenty-two thousand. We went through security and then to the gate. I bought some snacks from the snack bar.

"Flight Thirty-One leaving for New York at Gate Six," an announcer said.

"That's me," I said, lifting my carry-on luggage.

"This is goodbye," said Jenna. "We'll be going separate ways for a while. I'll make sure to write to you."

"Me too," I said. I kissed her.

Then I walked through the jetway into the spaceship that would take me back to Earth. I sat in my seat and I saw the other passengers board. There were only three dozen of us, as trips between the Earth and moon were expensive. The ticket would cost me a hell of a lot of money- three months' salary in fact. Still, I was glad to go.

"All passengers this is the captain speaking," said the pilot of the spaceship. "Fasten your seat belts. We are taking off."

And so we did. I felt heavy as the spaceship'sthrusters accelerated us upward.

Nineteen hours later, the spaceship touched down at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the Queens borough of New York City. After waiting in customs for two hours, the airport shuttle service took me home. 


	23. Siege

I moved in with Quinn Sullivan the evening before I returned to work. He had this loft in a building on Houston Street in Greenwich Village in Manhattan and I moved by belongings there. I slept in the living room which had a futon along with a coffee table, Magnavox television, and Sony stereo system.

Quinn and I took the subway to Broadway and Liberty Street the day I had to go back to work. I was dressed in my suit. We got out of the subway and went inside the office building. A few minutes later, I was back in my office. I went straight to Mr. Chegwidden's private office.

"Good to see you back," he said to me. "How was your vacation?"

"It was fine, sir," I said. "I got reacquainted with the city, and then I paid a visit to Apollo Colony on the moon."

"It must have been very expensive."

"Yes, it was. I must have spent three months' worth of salary on my vacation."

"Well, you have a lot of work to do. The first thing I want you to work on is a summary article of the SDF-1's two-year journey."

Mr. Chegwidden gave me some papers, and I took them to the main office.

"Here's your desk," said Quinn, pointiong to an empty cubicle.

"Okay," I said, turning on the personal computer. I looked through all the notes and articles I had written on the SDF-1. I thought about the people I met while on board that ship. It would be a lot easier to keep in touch if SDF-1 landed in New York Bay. I turned on the word processing program and I began writing the summary article. I started with the pre-launch ceremonies the day the battle fortress launched.

I was back.

ooooooooooooooo

I spent the next few days on the feature article I was writing summarizing the SDF-1's two-year journey. I even worked on it at home.

One day, I received a letter from Jenna and I leanred about her life. she had been promoted to major and she was reassigned as an executive offiver of a veritech training squadron in Palm Springs, California. She was now training a class of twenty candidates, teaching them about the operations of the machines and training them in the simulators. The war had greatly reduced the number of flight instructors and the best pilots were needed to teach a new generation of pilots how to fly the VF-1 Valkyrie veritech fighters. I took time off from my article to write a letter to Jenna, telling her that I was fine and back at work and I included my Greenwich Village return address.

I finally finished the article on the SDF-1 after two days. I saved it to disk and delivered the disk personally to Mr. Chegwidden's office.

"Very good," he said after skimming the article. "I'll have marketing shop this article to newspapers. You may go now."

"Okay then," I said, heading back to my desk.

For the next few days, I covered stories about the reconstruction efforts by the United Nations and the state of New York and geopolitical events. There was still leftover fighting from the Zentraedi survivors that refused to join Supreme Commander Breetai. The United Nations controlled only a small part of the world. It expanded its sphere of infl;uence by offering protection to ciommunties which had little contact with any larger government. I made sure to write to Jenna at least once a week. As for Macorss City, construction was still going on just outside the SDF-1. For recreation, I started working out at the NY Fitness gymnasium just down the street from my apartment in Greenwich Village.

Then one day there was an international crisis.

oooooooooooooooooo

On that day, Quinn and I were riding the subway on the way to work. We were both standing, as all the seats were taken by riders from the northern parts of Manhattan. It weas then I heard a news bulletin from nearby radio.

"And this just in. A military force has surrounded the United Nations Headquarters and laid siege to it," said the voice of a radio news repoerter. "The whole block has been sealed off. There is no word yet on whose authority this siege was conducted. The Governor of New York has denied responsibility for the siege..."

And then the radio's owner changed the station.

oooooooooo

Once Quinn and I got to the office, we went to a meeting room. The Sony television was on, and all channels had the specical report of the siege on the UN. It clearly was not Zentraedi leftovers, I recognized Humvees, M-1 Abrams tanks, MBR-04 Tomahawk destroids, and a HWR-00 Monster destroid. Soldiers were blocking access to the streets near the United Nations building.

"We've received reports that all active UN military bases are on red alert," said a CNN reporter. "The UN High Command has spoken with the Governor of New York, who has denied mobilizing the National Guard to lay siege to the UN. Wait, we are receiving a transmission."

"We've received a transmission," said the CNN anchor. "We have not yet determined the source of the transmission. We will play it for you."

An image appeared, and this sallow man in a suit appeared before a podium. Standing beside him was a man in a U.S. Air Force dress uniform.

"My fellow Americans," said the man in the suit. "My name is Hayden Ridge. I was the Secretary of the Treasury during the event known as the Rain of Death. After the Rain of Death, the military brought me to a secure location. One month ago I took the oath of office to serve as President of the United States of America and commander-in-chief of its armed forces."

"The President?" asked Art.

"No one has heard from the U.S. government since the Rain of Death," said Mr. Chegwidden.

"Let me, let me assure you that the fundamental institutions of this nation continue to exist," said Hayden Ridge. "i was fortunate that my home was not located near any ground zeroes of the Rain of Death. The laws of succession gave me this duty to serve in this office, a duty I do not take lightly. With me here is the new Chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Air Force General William Waverly."

"Thank you," said General Waverly. "I was appointed to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President Ridge after he was sworn in. First of all, I want to say to the American people that we are doing our best to reconstitute the federal government. We have made contact with survivors from all fifty states. We have gathered enough senators for a quorum, and we will held special elections to fill the House delegation. Most importantly, we have offensive military capability which will allow us to fight the Zentraedi survivors and anyone else. As you know, President Ridge mobilized the New York Army National Guard and ordered them to lay siege to the United Nations Headquarters. We have one demand. Our demand is the withdrawl of all UN military personnel from the United States and its teritories, and the surrender of the United Nations Headquarters."

"This is a bad time to do this," said one of the reporters.

"Let's see what we know about Hayden Ridge and that general," said Mr. Chegwidden.

And so we did research on the Internet, looking up our own archives as well as those of the New York Times, the New York Post, CNN, and Fox News.

I went inside Mr. Chegwidden's office.

"What did you learn?" he asked.

"Hayden Ridge was the Secretary of the Treasury," I said. "I got that from our old archives as well as the world almanac. His appearance on TV matches that of the photos of him on the net. As for General Waverly, he was the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command."

"The U.S. military was downsized after the formation of the United Earth Government."

"Yes, it was. It still maintained Reserve and National Guard units as well as the Selective Service System. The President simply mobilized the Reserves and National Guard. Now the U.S. military is upsized."

"You and Sullivan will go to the United Nations Headquarters and find out what is going on."

And so we did.

ooooooooooooooo

Quinn and I arrived near UN Headquarters in a Ford Crown Victoria taxicab. The New York City Police Department had blokced access to the street. Ahead I could see the Humvees and tanks and destroids and soldiers.

"Excuse me," I said to a soldier. "I'm a reporter from the Associated Press. I'd like to talk to someone inside the building."

"You may not enter," said the soldier. "No one may enter or leave."

"What is going on?" I asked.

"Our orders were to seal off the UN Headquarters."

"Whom did you receive your orders from?"

"Our orders came from our commander-in-chief, the President of the United States."

I spoke with a New York City police officer.

"Dio you have any plans?" I asked.

"Listen," said the police officer. "I don't know what the big deal is. I'm just trying to keep people from getting caught in the crossfire of a shooting war between the U.S. and the U.N."

Quinn and I asked the crowd of people that had gathered about what was going on. None had reported any shots fired. One person, a hot dog vendor working across the street from United Nations Headquarters, mentioned that the Humvees, APC's, and tanks rolled in at about eight o'clock, and that helicopters airlifted destroids minutes later.

I wondered if any other UN bases were under siege. I wondered if Jenna was all right. Would this situation turn into a shooting war?

oooooooooooo

U.S LAYS SIEGE TO U.N.!

That was the headline for the New York Post the next day. The article mentioned the announcement from Hayden Ridge. There was much speculation whether or not Hayden Ridge was whom he said he was, since no one knew where he was.

The siege of the UN was the top priority for the Associated Press's New York Bureau. All of us were calling leads.

Then we heard an update on CNN.

"We have just been informed that the President will be sending diplomats to the UN to conduct negotations as to the withdrawl of its forces," said the CNN anchorman. "They will be arriving shortly. The President has also said that the negotiations will be public and open to the press."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Mr. Chegwidden asked me. "Get to the UN. I will make arrangements"

"Okay," I said.

oooooooooooo

I later arrived at the United Nations and showed my passport to the soldier at the blockade. He called someone on his radio.

tThen another soldier walked to the barricade and spoke to me. "Wait here," he said. He spoke into his radio. "You may go in," he said.

I walked towards the front entrance of the United Nations building, escorted by U.S. Army soldiers. I stepped through the glass door, and was immediately greeted by a squad of U.N. Space Marines.

"Stop right there," said a gunnery sergeant. He spoke into his radio as the other marines searched me. "Okay, you will follow him."

"I'll be taking you to the room whewre the negotiations will be held," said a Marine lieutenant. He led me throiugh the lobby into an elevator. He inserted a key and pressed a button. Soon we were moving up. He then led me across a hallway to a pair of double doors. Two marines stood guard. They stepped aside and let me in.

The room was huge, with a three tables forming a U-shape. There was a fourth table and I was led here; it was for reporters I guessed. There were microphones on the three tables where the delegates would meet. In the back was the United Nations logo. There were several delegates, both civilian and military.

One of the delgates apporahced me, a woman with black hair tied in a ponytail.

"Hello there," she said. "My name is Jessica Davis. President Ridge sent me here to be his representative."

I took down her name in my notepad. "Nice to meet you," I said.

"The UN is bringing in another delegate from outside the headquarters," said Jessica Davis. "Then we can begin."

The woman went back to the table, sitting on a chair in front of a microphone. The other reporters and I waited.

And waited.

And then a woman with shoulder-length brown hair came in, escorted by marines. She was dressed in a UN Spacy uniform.

"Hello there," said one of the men.

"I am Commander Lisa Hayes of the UN Spacy," said the woman. "I am the XO of the SDF-1 Macross. I believe my experiences will get all of us to understand."

That name sounded familiar. I knew I heard of a Lisa Hayes during my stay on the ship.

"Here are our demands," said Jessica Davis. "The United Nations will turn over its headquarters to the United States. All United Nations military forces will be withdrawn from the United States and its territories. All United Nations ocean vessels will leave for international waters. We believe this can be achieved without firing on you. We will make arrangements for the relocation of your headquarters and your military forces to any willing country or UN territory."

"I ask you to please reconsider," said a UN delegate. "We are still fighting hostile Zentraedi forces, some of who are hiding in your territory. They threaten the rebuilding of Earth. You must reconsider. Commander Hayes will explain it better."

"I spent two years on board SDF-1," said Commander Hayes. "I have seen first hand the threat of the Zentraedi. I was even a prisoner on their ship for a while. I was later transferred to EDC Headquarters in Alaska and that was where I heard of the Rain of Death. You must know that hostile Zentraedi are hiding out in your country. You need our help."

"This war with the Zentraedi was started by the UN," said a US Marine general. "Our intelligence indicated that your ship fired first, thus provoking the war. You brought the Rain of Death which killed two hundred million Americans. And don't say we can not deal with renegade Zentraedi on our own. You have satellite surveillance, you know what offensive capability we have."

"So you know about the war with the Zentraedi," said the UN delegate. "Then you must know that the Zentraedi fleet commander Breetai formed an alliance with us against the rest of the Zentraedi, and is assisting us in the reconstruction efforts. He has provided raw material and labor for the reconstruction. But he is only providing it to the United Nations. It is the only Earth entity that he will deal with."

"And you trust him?" asked Jessica Davis.

"Yes," said Commander Hayes. "He fought against the Supreme Commander Dolza. He has no desire to destroy us; he is no longer our enemy. His advisor Exedore now works with us. We have to keep up the attacks agains the renegade Zentraedi, before someone unites the factions and renews the war."

"We don't want to fight your war," said Jessica Davis. "Your war devastated our country. As for the UN, it is basically a country club for brutal dictators. We are declaring our neutrality in your war with the hostile Zentraedi factions. You forces are to leave, and you can start by removing the SDF-1 from U.S. soil."

"The SDF-1 can no longer fly," said Commander Hayes. "And we have a civilian population who lived with us the past two years. They are rebuilding their city right here on Earth. You can't expect them to relocate again."

"We will grant the civilians U.S. residency," said Jessica Davis. "They can live right where your ship landed. But you and the crew must leave U.S. soil. And since you can not take the ship with you, we will take possession of it."

"And don't think we can't do it, Commander," said the US Marine general. "You have seen our demonstration of a nuclear explosion. We still maintain a nuclear arsenal, left untouched by the Rain of Death. Surely your SDF-1 can not survive a direct nuclear strike."

"What of the civilians?" asked Commander Hayes.

"They don't have to die, Commander," said Jessica Davis. "Relocate the ship's crew, turn it over to us, and they will not be harmed. They can continue to build their city and live under U.S. jurisdiction."

"Listen," said Commander Hayes. "The enemy Zentraedi factions will ignore your neutrality. They view all humans as the enemy."

ooooooooooooooo

Later on, the negotiations were recessed. I got into the elevator to go to the lobby. Commander Lisa Hates was inside the elevator too.

"You were that reporter on the SDF-1," she said.

"That's right," I replied. "How's the construction of Macross City going along?"

"Well, the streets are being paved," said the commander. "I'll be going back to my hotel until the second day of negotiations. I just can't believe that in this day and age, they would still be fighting. Their rhetoric sounded like Lin Kyle."

When I reached the lobby, I headed for the main exit. I was immediately searched by American soldiers. Then I went straight home, as it was late afternoon. Turning on the TV, all the channels were covering the siege of the United Nations Headquarters.

"How were the negotiations?" asked Quinn.

"They obviously have some issues," I said, typing an article on the personal computer.

ooooooooooooooooo

The next morning, I went back to the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan. Once again, I had to show my ID to the UN Space Marine security people. I then was escorted in to an elevator, through the hallway, and into the room where the negotiations would take place. Once again, I sat at the reporters' table with my notepad and pen in hand. I waited until all the delegates came in.

"After consultation with my superiors," said Jessica Davis, "we are willing to alter our demands. We are willing to grant the United nations sovereignty over SDF-1 and the surrounding area as shown by the map. In return, we require that all UN military forces operating in US soil be placed under US operational command."

"That seems reasonable," said UN Spacy Commander Lisa Hayes. An aide hands her a piece of paper, presumably the map that Jessica Davis was talking about.

"The United Nations General Assembly will debate this," said the UN delegate.

I soon left to go back to my office. That was short. And anticlimactic.

ooooooooooooo

The next day, I went to a press conference at the United Nations Headquarters.

"We have passed the United Nations Resolution accpeting our treaty with the United States," said a UN spokesman. "Our treaty will place all UN forces on US soil under US operational command. The areaaround the SDF-1 has been cederd to the UN for the crew of that ship."

After the press conference was over, I went back to my office to write an article.

ooooooooooo

That evening, Quinn and I had dinner where the main course was steak. Steak was a little bit cheaper than it was two months ago, though it is something we could not afford to have every day or even every week.

There was a special report on TV. US Air Force General William Waverly appeared on the screen.

"I have announced that we destroyed a renegade Zentraedi vessel in Minnsota yesterday," said General Waverly. "We launched an ICBM towards the site of a crashed Zentraedi vessel being used as a base by a renegade faction. We make this ultimatum to all Zentraedi still here. If you do not leave, we will destroy you."

"So what are you up to?" I asked.

"Not much," said Quinn. "I think I'm gonna see a movie on Friday. It's release was delayed because of the war."

"Right now, I want to get my work done and get some sleep," I said. "I would like to catch a movie."

"The theater's just two blocks away." 


	24. Career Decision

About two months after the siege of the United Nations, I decided to pay Jenna a visit in Palm Springs, California. The airport shuttle took me to the American Airlines terminal at John F. Kennedy International Aiport in the Queens borough of New York City. I walked through the terminal, passing fast food restaurants and gift shops and went to the gate. When my flight was announced, I presented my boarding pass to the gate attendant and boarded a 767. Soon we were airborne.

I looked out the window towards the Great Plains of North America. The whole place was scorched. I could see craters everywhere.The only settlements were near the rivers as most aqueducts would have been destroyed in the Rain of Death six months ago. It was about four hours after takeoff that I first saw the Rocky Mountains. The craters were not as visible, though I noticed the forests were all but reduced to ashes.

"We will now begin our descent to Palm Springs," said the pilot.

I looked out and saw the barren California desert, now marked with craters. The craters appeared to get bigger; I knew were were descending for our final approach. I noticed a mslla body of water along the way. Soon that was replaced by a cratered landscape, with buildings and streets between the craters.

I could see streets, vehicles, buildings, and construction sites. I could see a fence and a taxiway. Then I felt the landing gears touch down as the Boeing 767's tires made contact with the runway. The plane taxied to the terminal.

"Welcome to Palm Springs," said the pilot. "We hope you enjoyed your trip."

I exited the airplane and headed to the terminal. Direct flights from New York to Palm Springs were not available a few years ago. But nowadays, there were fewer airports, not to mention fewer cities. I called Jenna on my cell phone.

"I'm at the airport," I said. "I'm waiting for my luggage."

"I'm rioght here," said Jenna. "I'll wait for you."

After taking a suitcase full of clothes, I walked out.

"Over here!" yelled Jenna.

I looked and saw jenna wearing a red sleeveless blouse, a blue miniskirt, a straw hat, and sunglasses. I came and gave her a kiss. "Hi there," I said.

"I'll open the trunk," she said, going to a red Chevrolet Camaro and popping open the trunk. I placed my luggage in the trunk. Then I went inside the front seat and she drove.

Looking around, I noticed that Palm Springs was a lot less crowded than New York. There were all these palm trees lining the streets. I noticed plenty of construction sites.

"It wasn't badly hit," I said.

"It was worse when the SDF-1 first arrived twelve years ago," said Jenna.

She drove the car through the streets of Palm Springs for a couple of minutes, and then we stopped at as residential street. There were all these duplexes. Jenna popped open the trunk.

"Here we are," said Jenna.

"So you live off base," I said.

"it's only a short commute to the base."

I got my luggage out of the car and closed the trunk. I then followed Jenna and she unblocked the door.

The living room was small with a blue carpet. I could see couches, a coffee table, bookcases, and a television. Behind the living room was a kitchen and a small dining room. A door next to the living room led to a hallway where the bedrooms and bathroom were located.

"Are you hungry?" asked Jenna. "I can get you some snacks."

"Okay," I said, receiving a box of Ritz crackers. "so how's it like over here."

"It's good," said Jenna. "A lot warmer than Alaska."

"You know, the U.S. was actually going to attack the SDF-1," I said. "They wanted the U.N out. I guess they reconsiudered their position."

"The whole base was on high alert that day," said Jenna. "Of course, now we have a liaison from the U.S. Marine Corps. He's a major, and he's a decade older than me."

Jenna got something out of the cabinet. I saw it was a can. "Creamy tomato bisque soup," she said. "that will be our lunch."

"I thought we would do something like go out for lunch," I said.

"No, that's dinner. I'll make dinner reservations after we eat."

And so she cooked the creamy tomato bisque soup and I ate it. It had this tangy taste, and there were chunks of tomatoes in it.

"So what's it like traching others how to fly veritechs?" I asked.

"Most of the time, I'm training them in simulators," said Jenna. "They have to be simulator -ready before they can take the stick. I took a couple of students up in the air. They have to handle fighter mode before training in guardian or battloid mode. When I am not traching them, I am doing paperwork. Now I know where they came up with the term major. As soon as you get promoted to major, you get major paperwork."

"So true," I said. "Your job turning out to be a lot like mine. My job is mostly paperwork."

"You do get to do more than that. You get to go to places and talk to all sorts of people."

"That's what I like about this job. I wouldn't want to give it up."

"And I would not want to give up flying either," said Jenna. "My position is mostly paperwork now. It sure is a lot different than being a second lieutenant or even a first lieutenant."

oooooooooooo

That evening, after spending the day of doing whatever around the house, Jenna and I went to an Italian restaurant in downtown Palm Springs. I ordered a special- veal parmigiana, minsestrone soup, and bruschetta. Complimentary breadsaticks were served.

The meal was expensive, and well worth it. The veal was served piping hot and served on a bed of spaghetti. It wasa like melting in my mouth. In between chewing, Jenna and I talked about little things, such as my life in New York and her life in Palm Springs.

"I haven't shot guns in a while," I said, after swallowing some veal. "I haven't found a shooting range in Manhattan."

"I could take you to the base," said Jenna. "We havwe an indoor firing range. Where did you get into shooting?"

"Vince introduced me to the sport."

We continued eating.

"Do you see her over there?" asked Jenna.

"Who?" I asked, seeing a bunch of people sitting around, none of them looking out of the ordinary.

"That's Jan Morris," said Jenna. "She was in the Miss Macross competition two years ago!"

I looked and saw a woman with curly blond hair. "You're right," I said. I could never forget the Miss Macross contest.

A few minutes later, Jan Morris stood up. Jenna also stood up and approached her. I listened.

"Hi there," she said. "you might not remember me. My name is Jenna Murphy. I was a contestant for Miss Macross."

"Oh yes," said Jan Morris. "I remember Miss Macross. A pity I did not win."

"When did you get here?" she asked.

"I have a home in Palm Springs. After the SDF-1 landed, I found out there were survivors here, so I arranged for a flight here. My home survived, so I decided to live here. Excuse me, but I must go to the ladies' room."

Jenna sat back down as Jan Morris went to the restroom. Jenna and I finished our meal and our delicious wine, talking about our plans for the future.

She paid the bill and we both left the restaurant, full and satisfied and eager for dessert.

ooooooooooooooo

I woke up the mext morning and I looked and I saw the time was 9:30.

"Get up!" yelled Jenna. "Get dressed."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You'll find out."

ooooooooooooo

A few minutes later, I was riding in Jenna's Chevrolet Camaro. I could see a chain linked fence topped with barbed wire. Behind the fence were buildings and hangars; this was not the Palm Springs Regional Airport.

"This is the air field where I work," said Jenna. "We're going in."

"My flight leaves at two o'clock," I said.

"We should have enough time."

She stopped at the gate and showed her ID to the UN Air Force security police sergeant. He waved us through.

"We have four training squadrons- one for the Air Force, Spacy, Ocean Patrol, and the Marines." Jenna poarked in a small parking lot. "This is the offices of the 18th Marine Veritech Fighter Training Squadron," she said. "Since I'm the XO, I get my own reserved parking space."

"Who's here?" I asked.

"Just the weekened shift," said Jenna. "Let's go to the firing range first. It's down the street."

And so we did. The firing range was inside a small building just down the street from the squadron office.

"Hey there," said a young man in an Air Force uniform.

"I'm taking this civilian to practice shooting," said Jenna. "I'll need a box of bullets and goggles and earmuffs and two targets."

Soon we got the bullets and earmuffs. "Make sure you enter with yourear and eye protection," said the Air Force man. "Here are your targets. You have Lane One."

And we entered the huge room where all the lanes are. We went to Lane One. Jenna hung the target.

"You know how to load the pistol, right?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said, looking at the Beretta M93R semiautomatic postol. I loaded the cartridges into the magazine and then inserted the magazine into the space inside the pistol's group.

Jenna set the target about ten feet back. "The target's ready."

And I aimed and pulled the trigger. Even with the earmuffs, I could hear the loud bag and the impact of the spent cartridges as they hit the floor. I could see holes being made in the target. After I used up all of my bullets, I reloaded and fired. After a while, I used up all by bullets.

Jenna used a lever to bring the target back. "Very good," she said. "Most of your bullets went through the chest area. Now it's my turn."

Seh hangs her target on the clips, and then uses the lever to send the target back. She takes the pistol and inserts a loaded magazine. She then fires the pistol over and over again. I could see the holes being made by the bullets.

Then she was done. I saw the bullets all went through a small section of the chest area.

"How about we take a cruise in the VT's," she said.

And so we did.

ooooooooooooooo

The first thing Jenna did was obtain a spare flight suit from the squadron's supply clerk. We went to her private office and I placed the flight suit on.

"Amazing," said Jenna. "My own private office."

I looked around. It looked like a typical office, with a personal computer, telephone, desk, file cabinets, and a bookcase. There were also UN Space Marine recruitment posters on the walls.

Then we left the office. Jenna drove me to the squadron's hangar, which was not far. We went througn a small door and I looked and saw orange-colored veritech planes, along with their support vehicles and equipment.

"These are VT's- veritech trainers," said Jenna. "I remember when I first took flight in these. Major Beckett was my instructor at the time, along with Captain Colmes. The trainer's gunpod has paintball ammunition; we haven't done live ammunition exercises yet. Now I'm the one in the instructor's seat."

She pressed a button and the main hangar doors opene, allowing in sunlight.

"Climb in," she said, pulling down the ladder. I climbed in and entered the back seat. Jenna climbed into the front seat. She retracted the ladder and closed the cockpit canopy.

"Did you have the flight plan cleared?" I asked, putting on my helmet.

"I submitted my flight plan on Friday," said Jenna. "I was scheduling a weekend trainign exercise." She taxied the veritech to a taxiway. "This is Trainer Two," she said. "All systems are go and we are reasy for takeoff."

"Copy that," said a male voice. "you are cleared to take off on runway 1N."

She taxied to the runway, and pushed the throttle forward. Soon we were rising in the air. I looked down and saw Palm Springs. Soon we were flying over the desert.

"If you look to your right, you will see the Salton Sea," said Jenna.

I looked down and saw a small lake.

"it used to be a lot bigger," said Jenna. "But the water was vaporized during the Rain of Death. It has only begun to refill." She turned the plane around. "We are now heading for the bombing range. That is where we practice flight maneuvers." We flew for a few minutes. "Here we are."

I looked down and saw a crater-filled landscape. "Not much here," I said.

"When we have training missions, we set up targets," said Jenna. "then we send the student pilots and blast the targets. Do you want to take the stick?"

"Who me? I'm not a pilot."

"Imagijne how I felt when I first took the stick. Anyway, I'm riding in front. I can take us back alive in case you put us in a dive. Why don't we try climbing?"

"I know I have to pull the stick," I said. "I remember trying out the veritech simulators."

"You also have to increase engine throttle. Push the throttle lever to do so."

And so I pulled the stick and pushed the throttle lever. I saw the altitude reading increase.

"Good," said Jenna. "Now let's move to the right."

"Okay," I said. I moved the stick to the right and the plane banked in that direction. I looked at the gauges. "We're losing altitude."

"Press on the right rudder pedal."

I looked down and saw foot pedals. I pressed the right one.

"Now increase engine throttle."

And so I pushed the throttle forward and I could see we were not losing altitude.

"Excellent," said Jenna. "Now we make a left turn. It's like a right turn, except you substitute left when you mean right."

"Okay," I said. I pushed the stick to the left, increased throttle, and stepped on the left rudder pedal. The plane moved to the left.

"Good," said Jenna. "Now we will descend,a dn I'm not talking abiout taking a dive. to descend, you reduce throttle by pulling back. Then you push the stick. got it?"

"Yeah," I said. I pushed the stick forward even as I reduced the airspeed. I saw the altimeter reading go down.

"Perfect," said Jenna. "Now I will perform a trick called the loop. Make sure your seat belt is fastened."

"Okay," I said.

And then we started to clib upwards fast. I looked at the sky above, and then I looked and saw the ground was above me. We were upside down. Then we completed the loop and we were downside up again.

"Okay," said Jenna. "that was cool, wasn't it. Now let's head back to base."

"We have a combat alert," said a voice. "We have reports of hostile Zentraedi activity in the Lucerne Valley."

"this is Trainer Two," said Jenna. "I'm already in the air."

"Fly over there and see what is going on," said the voice.

"Ready for action?" asked Jenna.

"Okay," I said.

She changed direction. We flew over some mountains I could see the broad, crater-fileld expanse of the Mojave Desert. I noticed we were losing altitude.

"Switching to guardian mode," said Jenna. I looked and saw the airspeed indicator go below one hundred knots. "We are no flying in guardian mode. This allows us to fly at low altitudes.

I looked ahead and saw some human-shaped figures. They wewre clearly too tall to be human.

"Backup ETA is five minutes," said the voice.

"Switching to battloid mode," said Jenna. I saw the cockpit reconfigure itself. The monitor came on allowing me to see what the head camera sees. I could see the Zentraedi clearly; the image must be magnified.

"Are those allied Zentraedi?" I asked. "I know that Zentraedi engineers are assisting in reconstruction."

"We'll just wait until backup arrives," said Jenna. "We'll surround them and ask for identification."

And then one of them opened fire at us. "I guess they answered our question," I said.

Jenna switched the veritech to guardian mode and flew to the Zentraedis. She opened fire with the lasers. Then she switched to battloid mode and we hid in a creekbed. she then jumped and opened fire with the gunpod.

She had forgeotten that the gunpod was loaded with paintball ammunition. But it was not a total waste, for their eyes were covered in paint. They wandered around, wondering where we were.

Then I saw more veritech fighters fly in and change into battloid mode.

"We'll take it from here," said the commander of the battloid flight.

"I'll return to base," said Jenna. She changed into fighter mode and then flew us back to the base. Minutes later, the landing gear tires made contact with the runway.

oooooooooooooooo

Later that day, I was back in the American Airlines terminal at the Palm Springs regional airport. I placed my luggage on the luggage conveyer. I then went to the gate. Soon ther announcement came for my flight back to New York.

"Well, goodbye," said Jenna. "I hope to see you again soon."

I kissed her. "Goodbye," I said.

I then boarded the plane and it took me back to New York. As it began its final approach to John F. Kennedy International Airport, I noticed a thick, gray cloud cover below us. Soon the only view was the clouds. We were descending through the clouds more many minutes. Then the clouds faded and I could see the ground below me- streets, buildings, cars, electrical poles. I saw drops of water on the window. It was raining.

The plane touched down and taxied to the terminal. Soon a jetway was extended to the plane and I got off. I headed to the baggage claim, got my luggage, and then went out to get to the airport shuttle that would take me to my apartment in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan. I went out and let the raindrops fall on me.

I had not experienced rain in years.

oooooooooooooo

I took the subway back to my family home in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens for Christmas. This was my first Christmas on Earth in so many years. Snow blanketed the front lawn of my family's house. I entered the living room which already had a Christmas tree complete with lights. I heard the heater running and I removed my hat and coat.

"Hi there," said Mom. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too," I said, giving her a hug.

"Hey, son," said Dad. "Merry Christmas."

Soon everyone came. Sally, Tony, Tammy, and Oliver. Sally's husband, their daughter, and their newly born son. Mom had prepared a nice juicy turkey for us. We all sat around the dining table.

"Before we begin," said Dad. "Let us thank the Lord for the bounty which He has given us, and for watching over each of us."

"Amen," we all said.

"Let's eat."

And so we did. Mom sliced the turkey and we each got some gravy and stuffing. The turkey was very moist, for it had been deep fried. Wine was served for the occasion. We all talked about our lives. I once again shared stories about my journey on board the SDF-1. I was not the only one to tell stories, for Sally just had a baby two months before.

"Raising children is a real handful," she said.

"I know," said Mom. "I had to raise the five of you."

"I'll be on maternity leave for a while."

"you know, I was just informed that I was awarded the Pulitzer Prize," I said.

"Really?" asked Tony. "That's cool."

"What's that?" asked Tammy.

"It's an award given to reporters for their work."

"That figures," said Oliver. "I mean, you wrote the story of the SDF-1's trip through space and about what all the people on the ship went through."

"The award ceremony's on Friday," I said.

And we continued eating our dinner of turkey, gravy, and stuffing. After finishing the wine, we exchanged gifts and we took pictures. I would always remember this. My gifts included sweaters, pants, CD-R's, and video games.

That evening, I slept in my old bedroom, intending to return to my apartment tomorrow. Before I went to sleep, I looked out the window towards the night sky, wondering how Jenna was feeling.

oooooooooooooooo

The Pulitzer Prize ceremony was held the first Friday night after Christmas. I was dressed in my suit. The reporters and staff from ym office was there, as well as the senior executives of the Associated Press.

I stepped up to the podium. The host announced that I had been officially awarded the Pulitzer Prize for my series on the SDF-1. Photographer snapped pictures.

"My experience on the SDF-1 was remarkable," I said to everyone in the room. "It was the story of a people whisked away into space by unusual circunstances who did the best they could. Families stayed together, new friendships were forged, and new romances were even sparked. And I can not forget those who gave their lives so those people could make it back to Earth. So I could be here. Those people were the true heroes. I want to propose a toast to those heroes."

And we all did.

Later, after dinner was finished, the Chairman of the Associated Press spoke to me. He was dressed in a three-piece suit.

"Yes," I said.

"Construction of the new city near the SDF-1 is nearly done," said the Chairman. "The homes and offices should be readyh for habitation by next month. Listen, we want to open a new bureau at Macross City and I want you to run it. You will be paid the salary of a bureau chief, and you will have an expense account to rent an office, buy supplies and equipment, and hire reporters and staff."

"I am honored, sir. Why me?"

"For two years you reported on the events of the SDF-1's journey on your own. You're capable of running an office. You articles prove that. New York is too packed with reporters. It was the highest population of reporters of any city on Earth."

"There aren't that many cities left on Earth, sir. New York was the most populated city to survive the war intact."

"You can choose to stay in New York if you want to. I am sure there are other qualified people to run the Macross City bureau. If you stay in New York, you will do the stories that your boss assigns you. I'm not putting down Mr. Chegwidden; he's a fine reporter and editor."

"Yes, sir."

"But you can not realize your full potential as a reporter unless you have your own office. You have one week to decide. If you choose to stay in New york, I will understand. I won't hold it against you. I can find someone else. But you are the best, and that is why I came to you first."

"I'll accept the offer," I said.

"Perfect," said the Chairman. "Come to my office Monday so we can make the preparations for your move to Macross City. We will pay all of your moving costs."

ooooooooooooooooo

"Amazing, "said Quinn as we returned to our apartment. "You're gonna be the boss. Your own fucking office!"

"I had my own office before when I was on SDF-1," I said.

"I am going to miss you, Scoop. I mean, who's gonna pay half of my utilities and rent? I'd better check my messages."

I sat down and watched television. It was some old sitcom from about six years back. I knew that studios in New York had a huge explosion in business since the Rain of Death.

"This message is for you," said Quinn. "I'll play it."

"It's me, Jenna," the message said. "I want to tell you that I've just arrived in New York with my friends. We're all gonna celebrate New Years in Times Square. We're staying at the Marriott hotel."

ooooooooooooo

The next day, on New Year's Eve, Jenna and her friends paid me a visit in my apartment. They were all wearing hats and coats.

"Hi there," she said, giving me a kiss.

"Hello," I said to Jenna. "Hi," I said to her friends who were once her wingmates. "This is my coworker, roommate, and friend Quinn Sullivan."

"Hi," he said to them.

"Hello, Quinn," said Katie Taney. "I'm Katie Taney. I used to be Jenna's wingmate. We all kept in touch and we all decided to fly here to celebrate New Year's Eve at Times Square."

"Times Square is da bomb!" says Quinn.

"You know," I said. "I was given a promotion."

"Where?" asked Jenna.

"The Associated Press is gonna open a Macross City Bureau, and I am going to be the chief editor."

"That's like what you did," said Katie.

"Except I'm gonna have a much bigger budget, enough to hire new reporters."

"Anything else happening in this city?" asked Jonathan Wolfe.

"Did you see that Zentraedi cruiser in Queens as you flew in?"

"How could we not notice?" asked Katie. "We saw it as the limo took us to Manhattan."

"Well, the city is going to build inside it and around it. It's going to be a huge residential and commercial complex. Maybe I'll fly back here to visit the place once construction is finished. It will take about two more years to finish."

"Listen, guys," said Quinn. "We should be at Times Square at five PM. It gets so crowded at around ten that you have to squeeze through people."

ooooooooooooooo

All of us- my friends, Jenna's friends, and any dates they brought along- were at Times Square by six o'clock. It was dark, the lights only coming from the electronic and holographic billboards and the street lights. Police barricades blocked off the streets. There were plenty of barsd, nighclubs, and restaruants along this world-famous place. Even eight months after a global holocaust, Times Square was still a place to party. There were bands playing and singers singing. Police officers and New York Army National Guasrd soldiers stood watch. I even saw Tomahawk destroids on the streets. If an enemy from Earth or beyond were to attack us on this of all evenings, they would be given an appropriate greeting.

"Greetings," said the host, dressed in a tuxedo. "What a year it has been. It was the year where the human race gotm into a staring contest with annihilation, and the human race won. I want to dedicate this celebration to those who could not be with us on this day."

So I spoke with my friends and Jenna's friends as we had a party. For these few hours, the struggles I endured in the past and the challenges I will face in the future were buried. There was only now. I did not even feel the cold and snowfall. Hot coffee was being served from carts and kiosks at inflated prices. Occasionally, at the beginning of each hour, we were informed where on Earth the new year arrived.

Finally, eleven fifty-nine came.

Then we started counting down. "Sixty!" we shouted in unison. "Fifty-nine. Fifty-eight. Fifty-seven. Fifty-six. Fifty-five. Fifty-four. Fifty-three. Fifty-two. Fifty-one. Fifty. Forty-nine. Forty-eight. Forty-seven. Forty-six. Forty-five. Forty-four. Forty-three. Forty-two. Forty-one. Forty. Thirty-nine. Thirty-eight. Thirty-seven. Thirty-six. Thirty-five. Thirty-four. Thirty-three. Thirty-two. Thirty-one." Half a minute left. "Thirty. Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight. Twenty-seven. Twenty-six. Twenty-five. Twenty-four. Twenty-three. Twenty-two. Twenty-one. Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen. Seventeen. Sixteen. Fifteen. Fourteen. Thirteen. Twelve. Eleven." Just one-sixth of a minute left. "Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three! Two! One!"

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" we all shouted. Fireworks were launched and balloons were realased into the air.

"Happy new year," I said to Jenna, looking into her clear blue eyes. I kissed her.

"Happy New Year to you too," she said.

We all greeted Happy New Year to each other. We took so many pictures we used up three rolls of film. The band continued playing and we were dancing in the streets.

But then it was time for us to go home. We had the rest of the new year to go on with our lives.

ooooooooooooooooo

After the Associated Press headquarters made all the arrangements, it was time for me to go. I had a happy hour toast the previous afternoon. Now I was at John F. Kennedy International Airport, waiting for American Airlines Flight 77.

"Take care," said Quinn.

"You too," I said. "I'll send a postcard once I get settled in."

I went through the detector and walked along to the gate where Flight 77 would board. There were a few other people with me.

Then an announcer said that Flight 77 to Macross City was now boarding.

I took my carry-on luggage and showed my boarding pass to the lady at the gate and walked through the jetway into the Boeing 767. I took my assigned seat and sat down. I fastened my seat belt. the other passengers came and took their seats.

"All passengers, this is the captain speaking," said the pilot. "We are now leaving for Macross City. Make sure your seat belt is fastened and your trsy is in the upright position."

I heard the plane's tires roll along the concrete as it taxied to the runway. Then I felt pushed back as the pilot increased the throttle of the engine. Soon I felt the plane rise up, and we were on our way to Macross City.

To my new job and my new life. 


	25. Restart

"All passengers, this is the captain speaking," said the voice over the intercom. "We are beginning our final approach to Macross City. Please fasten your seat belts and put all trays into the upright position."

I sat in my seat as American Airlines Flight 77 descended and then touched down on the runway. The plane taxied for a few minutes, and then it stopped.

"Welcome to Macross City," said the airline captain. We all got off the Boeing 767. The cold breezed bit my face as I descended the movable stairway. I looked around and noticed a lot of construction going on. I could see the SDF-1 towering in the distance. Here I was. I felt excited. I was going to start the next phase of my life.

I walked to the terminal even as airport workers loaded luggage on to a luggage train. The first thing I noticed upon entering was the much warmer air inside. I made sure to present my passport to the United Nations customs officials, including my residency permit. I then walked through sliding glass doors into the baggage claim area. I made a call on my Motorola cellular phone, and then I waited for my luggage to appear on the conveyer belt. One by one, the luggage from Flight 77 was brought down by a rubber conveyer belt and placed on a rotating conveyer belt. I then saw my luggage. After a few minutes, I took my two suitcases and cardboard box. an airport luggage handler offered to carry it. He put the luggage on a cart and we both went out through the glass doors.

I looked out and saw an airport mostly under construction. New terminal buildings were being built, and I could hear the noise from the construction equipment. In the distance I could see skyscrapers and huge cranes. There were cars and buses and vans running about.

A Toyota pickup truck pulled up to the curb., The tinted passenger window rolled down.

"Hey Vince," I said to the driver.

"Let's pack your stuff."

I tipped the luggage handler, and I placed my two suitcases and cardboard box into the back of the pikcup truck. Then I sat in the front seat. Vince put the truck in gear and soon we were leaving the airport.

Looking around, I could see entire neighborhoods being built. I could also see some brand new homes. The last time I had been here, this was scorched earth.

"Welcome back to Macross City," said Vince.

"Thank you," I said. Coming back here felt like going home again. "Listen, do you have a brochure of available apartments for rent? I was hoping to find an apartment by means other than walking around the neighborhood looking for For Rent signs."

"There are plenty of those around," said Vince. "And there are at least three vacant apartments in my building. You could even be settled in to your apartment at night."

"Will this be a good place?" I asked.

"Sure," said Vince. "My stove broke down last week. Handyman had it fixed the next day."

"Very efficient."

"He'd better be. If he doesn't get it fixed in three days, we could hire outside help and then deduct the fees from next month's rent and the owner can not raise rents for one year."

"Are there any places where I could go shopping?"

"Sure, we have a grocery store, fast food and sit-in restaurants, clothing stores, office supply stores. Badically every business that was in Macross City the past two years relocated outside. The Bright Star Casino is even back in business, and it is in the same building as the Macross Hyatt. I still work there as a bartender. There's still a lot of construction going on, so don't be surprised by any inconvenience."

I looked around and we entered downtown. I noticed tall office buildings. I also noticed plenty of For Rent signs on both office and apartment buildings.

"So how are things going with Jenna?" asked Vince.

"Fine," I answered. "Jenna came by to celebrate New Years' Eve in Times Square in New York."

"I saw the celebration on TV."

"I'm gonna write a letter to her after I find out where I'm gonna live."

"Well, here we are," said Vince.

I looked up and saw an apartment tower with balconies. Vince drove his truck into a underground parking garage beneath the building.

"Here we are," said Vince. "This is where I live, and maybe you'll live here. We have a landromat and a Jack in the Box and a liquor store on the first floor of the building. Let's get your stuff and put it in my place for a while."

I got out and lifted the cardboard box while Vince got a suitcase. He went to the elevator and pressed a button. We went up and got off on the fifth floor. Then we walked along the hallway and Vince unlocked a wooden door.

"Here we are," said Vince. I entered into the living room which had couches, a coffee table, a bookcase, and a television. I mplaced the box down. Then I went down to the garage and brought back up the remaining suitcase.

"Do you live alone?" I asked.

"Yes," said Vince. "What's in the box?"

"My personal computer," I said. "I'm gonna need it for my work."

"An editor, right?"

"Yeah. So how are things going on here?"

"Well, we now have electricity and running water and telephones and the Internet. We are also expanding, as you might have noticed fromn all the construction sites. As for me, I'm engaged. I'm going to marry Jean."

"That's great."

"It's amazing. The first time she saw me, doctors were picking shrapnel out of my ass from that casino bombing."

"How could I forget?" I said. I remembered being arrested in complicity for it.

"So when are you going to start looking for an apartment?"

"Today," I said. "There are apartments for rent here, right? But I have got to eat first. I haven't had lunch yet."

"It's early to have lunch."

"It's because of the jet lag; I'm still on New York time."

ooooooooooooo

After eating a hamburger and drinking a Coke from the Jack in the Box, I decided to look for an apartment. I showed my bank statements and my pay stubs.

"Our apartments come with complimentary furniture, stove, and refirgerator," said the property manager. "We have a laundromat, fast food restaurant, and a liquor store in the first floor. The refrigerator even comes with its own water filter. We don't guarantee the filter; you will have to change it yourself."

I looked around and saw a couch, an easy chair, and a coffee table. There was nothing else. I went into the unit's one bedroom and saw a bed and a closet.

"I like it," I said. "I already know someone who lives in the building."

"Okay," said the property manager. He takes a paper out of a briefcase he was carrying. "Here is the rental agreement."

And I read throug it. It had the rent which would be locked for one year, various restrictions on the use of the property, the eviction procedure. And it had the provision that Vince mentioned earlier. If the landlord fails to repair any fixture for three days after the initial request, the tenant may hire outside help and then deduct it from the next month's rent, and the landlord can not raise rent for one year. The tenant can not deduct the rent for repairs done without a request to the landlord, or done in less than three days after the request for repair.

I signed it and gave the security deposit to the property manager. "We hope you enjoy your stay here," he said.

oooooooooo

Vince helped me move my stuff in.

"I'm still gonna have to buy a desk for my computer as well as a TV and stereo," I said as I hung my clothes.

"Well, the building is gonna have a welcoming party. We do that for new tenants."

And so I went to the party.

ooooooooooooooo

The party was held in a common room for all the tenants. The room had a nice view of the outside street, and the SDF-1 stood behind the buildings across the street. Chips and punch were brought. I decided to meet the people whom I was going to live with.

"We know you," someone said.

I looked and saw three men- one with purple hair, one with black hair, and one with red hair. I recognized them.

"I'm the new tenant," I said to Konda, Rico, and Bron, the three Zentraedi defectors whom I interviewed long ago.

"Welcome to our building," said Konda.

"It's good to see you," said Rico.

"This building is amazing," said Bron.

"Where do you live?" I asked.

"We share a three bedroom unit on the top floor," said Konda.

"What brings you here?' asked Bron.

"I started a new job. I'm gonna be the editor for the Macross City Bureau. How is your job going?"

"We're now teaching Zentraedi the English language," said Rico. "Many of them wanted to become part of Micronian society, so they applied for residency. We've even met with old friends whom we served with once."

"Commander-in-chief Breetai issued thousands of discharges to those who wanted to live here," said Konda. "They went through micronization and they moved here. Our job is to teach them your language."

"At that rate, Breetai won't have enough people to run his ships," I said.

"We're all exposed to Micronian culture," said Rico. "But I guess everyone who wanted to join you already did. Some of them are uncomfortable, and chose to stay in the service."

ooooooooooooo

That evening, I lay in bed after composing my letter to Jenna which I intended to send in the mail the next morning. I went to sleep. My first day here was a good experience.

ooooooooooooooo

The next morning, I had myself a breakfast of Rice Krispies which I bought from the liquir store on the first floor. My first business was to find an office.

Walking the streets of downtown Macross City, it was not hard to find brochures for rental space. There were dozens of them, and more buldings were along the way. I looked at a brochure advertising office leases. I walked to the building, which was only a block from the lake where the SDF-1 was located. I looked at the directory for the building manager. I then walked into the building manager's office.

"May I help you?" she asked.

I introudced myself. "I'm the Macross City Bureau Editor for the Associated Press. My bureau needs an office."

"How many employees in your bureau?"

"I'm the only one; I still have to go out and hire some reporters and staff. I have an expense account of forty million for this year."

"Let me take you to one of our offices."

She led me to the elevator and we went up. Then she unlocked one of the office suites.

I looked around. I could see a desk where the receptionist would sit. I went through the door to the main office, which was currently empty. There were doors leading to a kitchen and storage rooms.

"This will be a fitting office for you," she said, leading me to a corner office.

The corner office was currently empty. I looked out and I could see the SDF-1 sitting in the middle of the lake. This was fitting, as my officve would cover stories from the SDF-1. "Get me the lease agreement," I said. "I'm going to sign for the lease."

I signed it, and just like that the Associated Press had an office in Macross City once again.

oooooooooooooo

I spent the next few days working very hard. I advertised in the newspaper for reporters and office workers, an accountant, and an information technology specialist, I ordered furniture and computers and printers to be delivered to the office, and ordered telephone and Internet service. I personally contacted recent high school graduates to work as reporters, offering them high wages, as high as reporters in New York make.

Then came the day when the Associated Press Macross City office would be opened once again. This time, it would not be one lone reporter cut off from Earth wirting stories using salvage equipment, but a fully funded staff. I looked at the reporters- Keith, Rebecca, Tyrone, Hakim, and Clarence.

"Hello," I said, standing in the main office and wearing my suit. "This is your first day. The Macross City office is very important. Just a few blocks away is the SDF-1, the headquarters for the Robotech Defense Forces whose mission is worldwide defense of the United Nations. We are at a critical point of human history. We are rebuilding from a war that nearly destroyed all of us. We will be recording history here. Future generations will read our work, and teachers will use or articles to teach kids about what their parents and grandparents went through. I chose you because I believed you are the best, and I expect you to prove me right."

I went into my private office and dialed the number for the Robotech Defense Forces Public Affairs office. I had five reporters, and I needed stories for them to cover.

The Associated Press Macross City office was once again open for business.

ooooooooooooo

Once again we started reporting on the reconstruction efforts on Earth which were carried out by the Robotech Defense Forces. My office had contacts with the staff of the RDF Headquarters inside the SDF-1. U.N. Spacy Captain Dennis Ward was the chief of public affairs and he would release press releases. I would review the articles submitted by my reporters and proofread them and check them against know facts.

There was one ceremony whioch I personally attended. Thousands of people were gathered in this park along the shoreline of the lake where the SDF-1 stood. A tarp covered something. UN Spacy Admiral Henry J. Gloval, the commander-in-chief of the Robotech Defense Forces, stood on a wooden platform. Mayor Tommy Luan stood by his side, as did city officials and UN military officers.

"Today we dedicate this memorial wall to those who gave all during the SDF-1's journey through space," said the admiral. "Many of us here spent two years on that ship. Each name of this wall is the name of a person who gave all so that we could be here. These people were friends, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, and fathers. Today we celebrate their memory."

And then the tarp is pulled. I saw a huge dark wall with many, many names carved into it. People walked towards the wall and laid flowers near the names of those they lost. I had three reporters working on this particular story.

I saw Jenna and Katie standing in front of the wall, dressed in their dress uniforms. They flew in last night to attend the dedication ceremony; I knew whom they were paying their respects to.

"Hi there," I said.

"We're doing fine," said Katie.

Jenna and I walked to the wall to look at the name that was engraved on the wall.

1LT LANI HART, UNSM

Then I saw a young man in a Spacy uniform salute Jenna. Jenna returned his salute.

"Your name, Corporal?" asked Jenna.

"Corporal Bryan Hart, UN Spacy," he said. "First Lieutenant Lani Hart was my sister, ma'am."

"Major Jenna Murphy, UN Space Marines. Lieutenant Hart was my wingmate. She was also a close friend."

"We're her parents," said this middle-aged man who was accompanied by a middle-aged woman.

"I remember seeing you at the memorial service," said Katie. "I am Captain Kathleen Taney. I was Lieutenant Hart's wingmate."

"We went to see Lani before the ship launched," said the woman who was presumably Lani's mother. "Our flight out of Macross City was scheduled the afternoon after the launch. We didn't know we would be with her on the ship."

"She was fortunate to have you on board," said Jenna. "She always took a piiture of her family with her when she flew out on a mission. It reminded her of what was at stake, and the reason why she was putting her life on the line. To get you home safely."

"Hi there," I said to Lani's parents and brother. "I'm the Macross City editor for the Associated Press. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Go ahead," said Bryan Hart.

ooooooooooooooo

"So this is where you live," said Jenna, standing in my apartment and looking around.

"That's right," I replied. "I actually pay less rent for my own apartment than when I was sharing an apartment with Quinn back in New York."

I sat on the couch and looked around. I had purchased a thirty-two inch Toshiba color television, a bookcase, an Aiwa stereo system, and table lamps. I had subscribed to a satellite television service; the satellite which was installed inside the hull of a derelict Zentraedi cruiser.

"So how is your job like?" asked Jenna.

"I spend most of my time sitting behind a desk," I replied. "The dedication of the SDF-1 memorial wall was the first story I personally covered. I do have help in running the office. Still, there's a lot of paperwork I have to personally sign."

"It's like my job. Most of the time I'm sitting behind a desk. Rarely do I get to actually fly in a veritech plane. I guess it's true. Fighter pilots end up dead or behind a desk."

"When do you have to go back to work?" I asked.

"My flight leaves from the JFAF tomorrow morning. At least I could take a look around."

"I'm writing a new article. It's about Lani. Is there anything you want to add?"

"Well, yes. As you know, I met her in veritech flight training. I was a first lieutenant, and she was a second lieutenant. I never got to pull rank, since there was someone that was a major or a lieutenant commander giving us instruction. The training base was in Macross City near the SDF-1. Veritech fighter training was very grueling, even more so than Marine Officer Training. Some of us who did not pass became pilots of transport and Cat's Eye planes. We got liberty almost every evening and weekend, except when we had to do live night flying. The training for guardian and battloid modes was conducted in Groom Lake Air Force Base since the modes were top secret at the time. I formed a close friendship with Lani and Katie. We were inseparable. We would eat out at restaurants, gamble our pay in the Bright Star Casino. We even went to Australia in the December before the launch of the SDF-1. Being with her lifted my spirits. And of course, we told each other things that we never told anyone else."

"How did Lani react when she learned that she was going to be shipped out on SDF-1?"

"She was ecstatic," said Jenna. "She saw it as some kind of adventure. We didn't hear of the Zentraedi at the time, of course. She invited her parents and brother over to witness the ship's launch. She had dinner with them the evening before the launch, at the Lin's Chinese restaurant."

"I was there too," I said.

"We had loaded our supplies and equipment on board ship," said Jenna. "Only the administrative staff would stay behind in Macross City. After the ship launched, we were to fly up into orbit to rendezvous with SDF-1 after it completed docking with the ARMD's. But then the SDF-1 fired its main gun at the Zentraedi ships. Colonel Beckett told us to suit up and prepare for immediate takeoff. When the colonel gave the order to fly up there, I looked and Lani and Katie, we all looked at each other, and gave a group hug. Then we took off to repel the Zentraedi attack. I saw a Zentraedi fighter on the ground, and the colonel ordered me to go down and take a closer look, and you know what happened from there."

"How did she deal with the aftermath of the fold operation?"

"After we got off duty, we kept a vigil for her parents and brother. She was relieved when she found out they had been rescued along with the rest of Macross City. She helped them adjust to their new life aboard ship. She always made sure to visit or call them at least three times a week. I mean, I wasn't close to my own family at the time. She even saved my life once, when my ceritech was badly damanged and she pushed me to the Prometheus."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"On that day, we were given four-hour shifts," said Jenna. "I had the morning shift with Lani and Katie. We went one hour in the sims , one hour in physical training, and one hour overseeing maintenance. Then we went to the casino and you were there and there was the announcement that the civilians couldn't leave the ship. Then the alarm sounded and we had to go back. We got dressed in our flight suits. We all looked at each other, and then I went to my plane. I left Lani for the last time that day. I want to say that I was blessed to know Lani Hart. I can never forget her."

"Thanks," I said. "We all suffered losses." I turned on the personal computyer which sat on the desk, inserted a floppy disk and wrote the article on Lani.

The next day, I published the article on Lani Hart, titled "A Name on the Wall". I had written in the end, "Each and every name has a story behind it, a story of someone who gave all to ensure the people of Macross City could return to their home world."

ooooooooooo

One weekend I went on an outing with Vince and some friends. Most of the January snow had already melted; still, we had to dress warmly, as it is always cold this far north.

"Here we are," said Vince's friend Phil.

"Just remember to keep yourself out of enemy sight," said Rolf, another friend of Vince. He was a major in the UN Army. "It's hard to shoot what you don't know is there.

"Okay," I said, holding a paintball rifle. I looked and saw the landscape. There was a lot of junk and cars and pipes and shit. I noticed at least one hull fragment from a wrecked Zentraedi ship.

The referee came to talk to all of us. "We will now begin," he said. "The time will be thirty minutes. If you get hit with a paintball, you are out."

"Follow my lead," said Vince. He, like me, was wearing a red cap and armband.

We were wandering through this maze of junk and brush. Sometimes I would hear the pop of paintballs, and I would look to see someone disappear behind an obstruction. My heart was racing and I was fully alert for any movement.

Vince and I stood at the corner of a small building. I peeked around the corner and I saw a figure with a blue armband.

I burst out and fired some paintballs. Then I felt something hard hit my back.

"you're out," said Vince.

I reached around my back and felt the wet paint. I immediately put my hands on my head and walked out to the area where other people with paint on their outfits were staying.

I definitely needed practice.

ooooooooooo

"That was great," I said as I left the paintball park with Vince, Phil, Rolf, and this other fellow named Devon.

"You should do this more often," said Vince. "We can get practice."

oooooooooo

One day, I paid a visit to Macross Gazette publisher Jake Austin at his home.

"How are you doing?" Jake asked me, sitting in his wheelchair.

"Fine," I said. "My new job has been going well for the past six months."

"And your personal life, if I may ask?"

"I still have contact with my parents in New York, and I still write to Jenna. I last saw her when the memorial wall was dedicated."

I looked and saw a brown-haired toddler wander in. I knew him as James Austin, also known as Lunk.

"Hi, Lunk," I said.

"Hi," said Lunk.

"We're having another baby," said Jake. "My wife is out shopping with a friend of hers, by the way. Her pregnancy's going great."

"And how's Lunk doing?"

"He said his first word three months ago and he's gained eight pounds."

"That's great."

oooooooooooooooo

Vince's wedding was coming up, and I was one of the guests. I was sitting at the bar in the Macross Hyatt Hotel and Bright Star Casino, having a Budweiser beer after a round of gaming action. A baseball game was on TV; ithe New York Mets were playing.

"Are you feeling jittery?" I asked. "Your going to be a husband in three days."

"A little," said Vince.

"I'm getting better at paintball. I actually scored three before I was hit."

I looked at the TV and the Mets were at bat. The bases were loaded, it was the bottom of the ninth, and there were two outs and two strikes and three balls.

"Maybe he'll pull a Kirk Gibson," said this man sitting two stools to my left.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"He was in the L.A. Dodgers. Game One of the 1988 World Series was played in Dodger Stadium against the Oakland Athletics. Bases were loaded, two outs at the bottom of the ninth. Gibson hit a home run and scored a victory for the Dodgers."

I watched as the pitcher prepared to pitch the baseball. He threw it. I watched the ball. the Mets' hitter swung the bat, and I heard the crack. The ball flew towards the end of the stadium as the centerfielder ran to the wall. The ball was making its descent. It would land near the wall- the question was which side. My heart raced in anticipation.

And then there was snow.

"What the fuck?" I asked.

Then the snow disappeared and was replaced by an image, but not that of a baseball stadium. Instead, this lavender-skinned man appeared on the screen.

"Greetings, fellow Zentraedi," said the man. "I am Khyron, commander of the Seventh Mechanized Division."

Vince changed the channel with a remote control. "This guy's on all the channels!" he yells.

"I have survived," said Khyron. "The Micronians have robbed you of your heritage. Join me, and together we can leave this miserable world and rebuild the Zentraedi into a force feared throughout the galaxy. Many of our brothers are still in the wastelands, continuing their battle with the Micronians. Join them. You Zentraedi are warriors; it is your reason to exist."

I was really pissed off. This Khyron fellow just interrupted a baseball game.

"He's right," said this man sitting at a table. "We are warriors. We should join him."

"Are you crazy?" asked another man sitting at the table. "That's Khyron the Backstabber! He fired on his own troops many times. You want to join forces with him?"

"It's better than going around serving food. We're warriors and we should join our brethren who are out there continuing the fight."

"It was your idea to live among the Micronians," said a third man. "You wanted their music and movies and talking to females. If you want to be a warrior, go to the UN recruiting office."

One of the men stood up. "I'm gonna go out and join my true Zentraedi brothers."

"You're crazy!" yelled a man.

"Tell my boss I quit!"

He then stormed out of the bar.

oooooooooooo

I later went inside the SDF-1 which was the headquarters for the Robotech Defense Forces Command. The interior of the ship had been remodeled, since the ship woould no longer go into space. It was permanently moored in the lake.

I went inside the press briefing room with the other reporters. The Zentraedi Advisor Exedore would give us a briefing about the transmission.

"As you know, a transmission was broadcast all over Earth yesterday at about six forty-two PM," said Exedore, a short man with red hair. It was amazing that he used to tower over all of us. "We have idnetified the image as that of Khyron. He was the commander of the Seventh Mechanized Division. A Cat's Eye recon plane calculated the source of the transmission, and veritech planes were sent to take a closer look. The source was a Regult Scout Pod. It was apparently destroyed after the transmission was made. We suspect Khyron ordered the scout pod to be destroyed after it finished its transmission. He has killed his own troops to achieve victory in his previous battles. We also suspect that he has spies in Micronian society distributing literature asking the micronized Zentraedi to join the Zentraedi rebellion. He is a very dangerous Zentraedi. He may organize the renegade factions."

And then we asked him more questions.

ooooooooooooo

I sat in the church and I looked at Vincent Grant, dressed in his black tuxedo. He was accompanied by his groomsmen Phil, Rolf, and Devon. There were many guests. I was wearing a suit.

Then Jean was brought in, wearing her white wedding dress. She marched down the aisle.

They looked at the priest and they exchanged vows.

"I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Grant," said the priest.

Vince and Jean walked down the aisle, now husband and wife. I waved to them as they waved to the guests at the church. They smiled; this was the happiest day of their lives.

I went outside. It was a clear day. The air was not that cold.

"Congratulations," I said to the newly wed couple.

"Thanks," said Vince.

"Nice to meet you," said Jean.

After greeting the guests, they went into the limousine which then took them to the Macross Hyatt Hotel where the reception would be.

I noticed a woman with curly black hair wearing a green dress. That was Vince's sister Claudia.

"Hi there," I said. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I haven't seen you in a while either," she said. "How's it going?"

"I live in Macross City now. I'm the chief editor of the Macross City Bureau for the Associated Press."

"I'm now a lieutenant commander," said Claudia. "I work at RDFHQ inside the SDF-1. Well, I'd better get to the reception."

oooooooooooo

The reception was held in a ballroom at the Macross Hyatt Hotel. We all sat at cloth-covered tables.

When bride and groom were introduced, photographers snapped pictures. Then they walked to the head table.

We all had a toast to Vince and Jean Grant.

As I looked at them, I wondered what kind of world they would live in. Would this Khyron fellow renew the Zentraedi war against Earth? Do Vince and Jean have a chance of raising a family in peace? 


	26. Unholy Alliance

"You take care of things back at the office," I said to Keith. "You can call me on my cell if anything happens."

"Sure boss," said Keith, who was dressed in a suit. "Make sure to call the office when you get to our hotel, okay?"

I went in to the main terminal building of Macross International Airport. A lot has chnaged in the nine months I have been here. More terminal buildings have been built, reflecting the finished construction of the city which this airport serves. I brought my luggage to the El Al terminal, showing my boarding pass and putting it in the conveyer. I then walked towards to Gate 33 where the flight would leave. I sat in a plastic seat near the gate. My flight was scheduled to leave at ten o'clock local time.

"El Al Flight 343 leaving for Haifa," said a voice.

I went to the gate and presented my boarding pass to the gate agent. Then I walked along the jetway to the waiting airplane. I sat down on my assigned seat. I watched as other people came in and sat in their seats.

I heard a voice from the intercom in a foreign language. Then I heard another voice in English.

"All passengers, this is the captain speaking," said the voice. "Flight 343 for Haifa is now departing. Please fasten your seat belts and place your tray in the upright position."

The plane taxied to the runway, and then took off. Within minutes, we were flying over the Arctic Ocean, heading for Haifa in Israel.

Many hours later, the plane began its final approach for Haifa. I looked out the window and I could see the dark expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. I felt a thud; I knew we had landed. The plane stopped at a terminal and I proceeded out of the plane through the jetway and into Israeli customs.

After walking through a scanner, I presented my passport, with the Israeli visa I got from the consulate in Macross City.

"What are you here for?" asked the Israeli customs inspector, scanning the passport to make use it is authentic.

"I am here to catch a connecting flight to Tiberias," I said. "I am to attend the Global Journalists' Convention. My flight back to Macross City is three days from now."

"I see," said the customs inspector. "Please wait."

Israeli customs inspectors checked my carry-on luggage and the luggage which was taken here via the airplane's cargo hold. They talked amongst each other in Hebrew.

"You may go," said the customs inspector. I immediately left the customs inspection area with my luggage. I looked around, seeing signage in Hebrew, English, and Arabic. Dozens of people were walking around. I saw the El Al desk and I walked over there, presenting my coupon which would entitle me to the next flight to Tiberias.

"Flight 8 departing from Gate 12 at four thirty PM," said the woman.

Local time was about two o'clock; it felt like it was yesterday. I had slept for a few hours; I figured the first thing I would do once I reach my hotel in Tiberias is go to sleep. It certainly did not help that Israel was twelve hours ahead of Macross City.

I waited around Gate 12 and I had a hamburger to partially sate my appetite. The announcement came that El Al Flight 8 was leaving for Tiberias. I walked through the gate and was greeted by warm air. I had not felt warm outdoor air in quite a while. I could see the plane; it was much smaller than the plane that flew me from Macross City, and it could probably hold about sixty passengers. I climbed up the stairs into the plane and sat down. Within minutes, the plane took off for Tiberias.

I looked out the window, and I saw a cratered landscape. There were some farming going on, as the people of Israel were rebuilding, just like others around the world. I could see mecha on the ground on guard from enemy attack, even from this altitude.

Less than an hour after taking off from Haifa, the plane landed at the Tiberias Airport. I got out of the plane with the other passengers and we all headed for baggage claim in the terminal building. I waited at the circular conveyer belt for my baggage. I then left the terminal and waited outside as I saw cars, vans, and buses driving along the road that served the airport terminal. I saw a taxi stand just a few feet away. There were many taxi drivers trying to solic it business, so it was easy for me to get a cab. I placed my luggage into the trunk of the cab and then sat inside. I told the driver to take me to the hotel.

The taxicab then departed the airport and we went through the streets of Tiberias. It was a busy, bustling city. After a few minutes, we reached the hotel.

The hotel was very new, and it was located on the waterfront. It had just opened this year. From what I read, Tiberias was one of the few cities to survive the Robotech War, as the war with the Zentraedi was now called. Like other population centers that still had an intact infrastructure, many people moved here, and this spurred new construction. I noticed there was construction at the hotel; another room tower was being built.

I got my stuff from the trunk of the taxi, went into the front lobby, and checked with the registration desk. It took a few minutes for me to reach the desk, as there was a line.

"Your room is 504," saisd the lady at the hotel counter who spoke heavily-accented English. "It has a nice view of the sea."

"Thank you," I said.

"The hotel was booked to the max because of the convention. This is a really popular place due to the historical significance of this city. A lot of pilgrims come here to..." She looked right past me. "I should be going on to the next customer."

I left the line and took a look at the lobby. It was made to look comfortable, with couches and glass tables and a piano and posters advertising the tourist attractions. I noticed some restaurants adjoining the lobby. I also noticed a lot of uniformed security guards here. I took my luggage to the elevator. Someone had pressed the buton for the fifth floo. I waited until we reached the fifth floor and I got out.

Fortunately, Room 504 was not far from the elevators, which was good for me. I used the plastic keycard to unlock the door and I entered.

The room was clean. There was one bed, a nighstand, a table in the corner. There was a glass sliding door leading to a blacony. I looked out and I saw the Sea of Galilee underneath the twilight sky. I went out and took a sniff. It did not smell like the ocean, but then again the Sea of Galilee was a freshwater sea.

I took off my clothes and got dressed in my pajamas. I soon drifted off to sleep.

ooooooooooooooo

The next morning was the first day of the Global Journalists' Convention. I rememmbered the last time I went, when it was held in New York. I looked out the window. From where I was standing, I could see the little fishing boats floating on the surface of the Sea of Galilee. I could hear the squawking of birds flying overhead, hoping to snatch a fish. I wondered if Jesus ever stood at the site of the hotel.

I pikced up the phone and called my office. It was closed at the time, so I left a message to the secretary via voice mail.

Anyway, I got dressed in my suit and then headed to the lobby. The hotel had a small cafe where a free breakfast was served. After leaving the elevator, I walked to the hotel's cafe. The cafe was decorated with much flora. I took a seat right in front of a cloth covered table and asked for a menu in English. 

And then I looked over the menu's breakfast selections.

"Scrambled eggs, please," I said.

"Okay, sir," said the waitress, who spoke in an Israeli accent and wore a green outfit.

After I finished my scrambled eggs and orange juice, I went to the corridor near the ballrooms where the registration desk was. I saw two staffers sitting behind the reigstration desk. I gave them my Discover credit card and signed up, receiving my pass which will allow me to attend the events. I looked around and various news organizations such as the Associated Press, Reuters, Cyber News Service, and the New York Times set up shop. I also saw booths for news services from foreign countries. The booths were handing out brochures advertising their particular news service.

Then I heard someone call my name. I looked and saw A.J. Chegwidden.

"Mr. Chegwidden," I said. "I see you're here to attend the convention."

"You're very observant," said Mr. Chegwidden. "I flew in from New York. How is your job going?"

"Fine. I'm running things pretty well." I looked at the convention's program. "Looks like there's gonna be a luncheon."

"I'd like you to meet some of the people I've had the pleasure of working with."

And so I spoke with some of the other reporters attending the convention. We swapped business cards. They were very interested in me.

"So you spent two years on board that ship?" asked this man. "How was it like?"

"A pretty harrowing experience," I said. "There were some bright spots though. I wrote an article on my two years on SDF-1 and that's how I won the Pulitzer Prize."

"A Pulitzer Prize," said this woman who spoke with a British accent. "I must congratulate you. Maybe you should write a book. Or even go on the lecture circuit."

"I could do that," I said. I looked up at the ceiling for a while, imagining the opportunities that were opened. Please excuse me."

I went ot the hotel's gift shop to purchase a postcard. The postcard had a nice view of the Sea of Galilee. I wrote a message on the back to Jenna. I then purchased an envelope from the shop and a stamp from a vending machine. I then went to the mail box next to the hotel registration and I put the envelope inside.

ooooooooooooo

Lamb was served at the luncheon. It was a traditional meal. The Scriptures testified that Jesus Christ's Last Supper had lamb as its main course. I sat at a cloth covered table with other reporters and editors as I listened to the guest lecturer. He spoke on techniques as to how to ask sources for information for news stories. His speech was riveting. I made sure to introduce myself to the others sitting at my table, making rapport with them. They were, of course, interested in my journey on board the SDF-1. I had become quite the celebrity here.

"Maybe you should write a book about your experiences on the ship," said a man sitting with me at the table.

"I could do that," I said. "I mean, I'll probably be collecting royalties ten years after it's published."

The luncheon wound down and many people left to go to their hotel rooms or visit the sights of this ancient city. I made sure to speak with as many people as I could. oooooooooooo

I sat at the outdoor deck of the hotel's cafe, sitting opposite of Mr. Chegwidden. The deck jutted past the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. I could see the clear blue water with little boats sailing in the waters. We both ate our lunch, the only sounds coming from other people conversing and birds flying overhead. The convention was fun, with all the exhibits. One exhibit even showed photgrpahs of the SDF-1 from inside and outside. But it was time to go.

"So you're heading back to Macross," said Chegwidden.

"That's right," I said. "I do have an office to run, you know. My flight leaves in two hours. After eating, I will pack my stuff and call a taxi. How are things going in New York?"

"We're still going on. You know, they're almost finished remodeling that Zentraedi cruiser in Queens. It will be open for business early next year."

I continued to eat my lunch, which was fish with roasted peppers and cream and mushrooms. I finished, and it was time to pack and leave.

"Here's my share of the bill," I said, putting down some money on the table. "Maybe we will meet again."

"Of course," said Mr. Chegwidden.

I lleft the cafe and went to my hotel room to pack my clothes. After making sure I packed everything, I called for a taxi. I then called a bellhop to assist me in taking my luggage down.

"So you go back home?' asked the young man, speaking in heavily accented English.

"That's right," I said as I rode the elevator to the lobby.

I had completed checkout via the television, so I went out. There was a waiting yellow taxi for me. The bellhop helped me load my luggage into the cab's trunk. I tipped him and got inside the rear of the taxi.

"Airport, please," I said.

The cab left the hotel and we were driving along the streets of Tiberias, passing construction sites for homes and businesses for people who resettled here after the Rain of Death. I was not familiar with thwe layout of the city, so I did not sense danger.

Until we turned into an garbage-strewn alley.

"Where are we?' I asked. "Why are we going here?"

I reached for the door handle, and then I noticed the handle was missing.

Some men opened the door. I was dragged out and everything went dark. I figured they put a hood over my head. I was then shoved into a vehicle, probably a van. I heard the engine start and the tires squeal.

oooooooooooooo

I was driven around for at least an hour or so withthe hood over my head. My captors made sure I could feel the barrel of a rifle. I wondered what was going to happen to me. Would they take me out to the desert and put a bullet in the back of my head? I could only wait.

I felt the van slow down, and then I heard the engine stop. I heard the doors open and they led me out. They nudged me with the barrel of a rifle. I walked along the hard floor; I could feel that we were inside a building of some sort. I could hear voices speaking in a foreign language.

"Get in," one of them said.

Get in? Where?

My question was answered when they shoved me. I heard a door close.

I removed the hood to take a look. It was dark in this room, with the only light coming from the small space between the door and the floor. The room was bare.

"Who are you?" I asked. "What do you want with me?"

I sat down on the floor. They have not decided to kill me yet. This room appeared to be some sort of closet; I was not being held in a dedicated prison. As I sat in the dark room, I wondered what was going to happen to me. I thought about Jenna. Would I be able to see her again? There must be a way out of here.

oooooooooooooo

I woke up and realized I was not in my hotel room nor my apartment in Macross City. I wondered where I was.

The door opened, flooding the room with light. I saw a man brandishing an AK-47 rifle. He looked local.

He beckoned for me to follow him, so I did. I walked along the hallway and entered a room.

Itr was a small room with only a desk and a chair as its furniture. A laptop computer sat on the desk. Sitting behind the desk was a man wearing a rag on his head. His beard had streaks of gray in it.

"Welcome," he said. "I hope you enjoyed your stay here."

"I missed my flight," I said.

"You were at the Global Journalists' Convention, correct?"

"Yeah."

"I know who you are. I know you were on that spaceship for two years."

"Who are you?"

The man looked at me with his brown eyes. "I am Samir Atta Nidal. I lead the Blood Martyrs' Brigade."

"I've heard of you," I said. "Yo're one of those terrorists."

"There you go again, infidel," said Nidal. "Spouting your Zionist propoganda again. The only terrorists are the Jews and their UN!"

"It wasn't the UN that detonated the shrapnel bomb in the casino. It wasn't the UN that attacked New York eleven years ago."

"I've read your work. I know all about the casino bombing. I know one of my martyrs did it. Abu Musab Salim. A man devoted to the cause. a man I was privileged to call friend. He gave all in jihad, and now he is in paradise. You know, he volunteered to bomb the festival celebrating the launch of that spaceship."

"I spent two nights in jail for that bombing."

"Well," said Samir Atta Nidal, "I want to let you know that we will renew our infitada against the Jews and their UN. You will all fall before us. The Jews will be destroyed and all will submit to Allah!"

Then I was led back to the room which was my cell. These were the same kind of people that killed my uncle and others on that late summer day eleven years ago. Would there me more terrorist attacks like that one?

ooooooooooooo

Hours later, one of the guards opened the door and led me out of the room. Walking along the hallway, I looked around to see if there was anything that could be useful. I noticed a security camera attached to the corner of a wall. The guard took me inside this large room. There were other people in here; I recognized some of them as reporters from the Global Journalists' Convention. There was a television in the room.

Then Samir Atta Nidal entered the room, accompanied by two guards brandishing AK-47's.

"Hello," said Nidal. "You must be wondering why we brought each and every one of you here. We have some demands to make, and we need you for this." He looked into each of our eyes. "Which one of you should I take? How about this one."

The guards beckoned to this woman and they led her away. Nidal turned on the television.

"Enjoy the show," he said. "We will broadcast this to the whole world!"

I looked at the others in the room. I saw the TV was on and it showed images of several men armed with AK-47's. Then some guards dragged the woman into view. They set her on the table.

Then she screamed as they took turns on her. This went on for a long time.

Then one of them inserted a rifle barrel into her and fired some shots.

Samir Atta Nidal then faced the camera.

"Greetings," he said. "I am Samir Atta Nidal, leader of the Blood Martyrs' Brigade. I have taken this opportunity to declare an infitada against the United Nations. I have other hostages, and they will suffer just as this infidel suffered." I noticed a madness in his eyes; it looked like something I had seen before. "You will withdraw all of your forces from all Muslim lands by tomorrow. I will release the other hostages unharmed if you do so. If you do not, you will find them dead."

Then Nidal left the room. I was led back to my cell. I wondered if the UN would give in to his demands. I thought back to that day, eleven years ago, when terrorists attacked New York. I remember th horrific images that were played. And I remembered my parents telling me and my brothers and sisters that our uncle was among those killed in the attack. And I later found out how it happened. The terrorists made demands, they got their demands, and that enabled them to succeed in their attack. To kill people like my uncle.

Maybe the RDF was planning a rescue mission. Any moment now, Jenna could bust in here in her veritech battloid.

But then that was something I had no control over. There must be something I could do here and now. I can't submit to these people! If we give in to the Blood Martyrs, then more people like my uncle would be murdered by these terrorists. I held my breath for a minute.

I was here. I had better make the best of it.

oooooooo

A few hours later, one of the guards opened the door. He had a tray with a styrofoam plate and a styrofoam cup. Standing behind him was a guard brandishing an AK-47.

"Eat," said the guard with the rifle.

So I ate. I wondered what I would do next. I had to think. How do I get out of this?

I replayed my memories like a video recording. Was there any detail?

The security camera.

I remmebered seeing it. It was not moving, nor was there any blinking lights.

Apparently, they had not turned on the security cameras at the time.

It felt like it was night. I hoped that the security cameras were not on.

I opened the door and ventured out. The hallway was dark. I did not see any blinking light from the security camera. I had to stay in the shadows. This was just like paintball, except I did not have a gun and my enemies used bullets.

I snuck through the hallway and I emerged in a huge room. It was unlit, and there were all these boxes- plenty of places to take cover. This terrorist hideout was not designed for the long term incarceration of prisoners. I figured this was not the headquarters of the Blood Martyrs, just a local base of operations. If could make it outside, I might be able to call for help.

I then noticed the light was on in an adjoining room. I quietly snuck towards the door, with my back against the dark wall. I was certain no one could see me, and yet my heart was racing. I could hear voices from the room.

The door was ajar, so I took a peek. I looked and saw Samir Atta Nidal inside. There was a holographic image in the room. It was an image of a levandar-skinned man.

I looked for a few seconds before backing away and hiding behind one of the boxes. I had seen that lavender-skinnwed man before, when he interrupted the baseball game.

That was Khyron, the Zentraedi officer calling for open rebellion. This was big news. Nidal and his Blood Martyrs were in league with Khyron!

I heard footsteps. I saw the door open and Nidal walked out with one of his aides. I had an urge to attack him then, but I knew betterI heard an engine start. I looked and saw a van leave through a huge door. Then the shutter closed.

I had to get out and get reinforcements. I had to tell someone that these terrorists were allied with renegade Zentraedi.

Then the lights came on. They must know I was missing! I had to get out.

I heard the footsteps of one of the guards. He was approaching closer and closer. There was only one chance.

I burst around the corner and punched in in the jaw. and it hurt. But it worked- the guard was down. I grabbed his AK-47.

I then heard shouts. I hid behind some crates. Then I heard gunfire. They knew my position. They would probably try to flank me. I had to keep moving under cover.

Two armed terrorists emerged from around the corner. I opened fire with the AK-47 I had acquired. I had to keep moving.

There was a door which apparently led to the outside. No time to think. I had no cover, but this was my best chance to get out of here.

I ran for the door and opened it. I went through just as I heard gunshots.

I looked out and it was night. I was at a waterfront. I ran and hid behind some barrels. I could see terrorists just outside wielding AK-47 rifles.

I then looked and saw a familiar building.

That was the hotel! I was still in Tiberias. I had not been taken far.

I made sure to look around. I had to be familar with the surroundings so I can tell any reinforcments. I focused on the building I escaped from, knowing every detail. I then looked towards the hotel as the landmark.

I then ran along the lit streets of Tiberias, clutching the AK-47, running to the hotel. I kept running and running. I finally reached the hotel lobby and burst in.

"Call the police!" I yelled as I put the AK-47 down.

oooooooooooooo

The police came a few minutes after I reached the hotel. I had informed them of exactly what happened. I told them about Samir Atta Nidal and the Blood Martyrs' Brigade.

"We need you to come with us," said the police inspector, a man in a suit.

Instead of riding in a police car, they took me on a police boat. Since the building was on the waterfront, they figured I could best view it from the water.

"It's over there," I said, pointing to a cluster of buildings. I was sure that they were there somewhere.

Then I saw one of the police officers speak into a radio. The helicopters flew over the waterfront area, shining their lights.

I saw another helicopter come in and some people came out. The helicopter had UN markings. What I noticed was that there were two veritech guardians escorting the helicopters. I watched for a few minutes. Then the helicopters and guardians left the scene.

ooooooooooooooo

The next morning, the police took me to the airport, where a UN Ocean Patrol helicopter was waiting for me. I got in and we flew over the Mediterranean Sea. I looked and saw our destination, an aircraft carrier. IOt looked a lot like the Prometheus. The helicopter landed on the aircraft carrier's flight deck.

"Welcome aboard the U.N.S. Chronos," said an Ocean Patrol sailor. "Follow me."

I was led into the lower decks of the Chronos. I noticed how cramped everything was compared to the SDF-1. I was led to the ward room, where there was a table and some chairs. The floor was covered in a carpet. I saw a coffee pot and a stack of styrofoam cups.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair entered the room. "Hello there," she said. "I am Commander Lisa Hayes from RDF Headquarters."

"Hi," I said. "There's something you need to know."

"What is it?" asked the commander.

"The Blood Martyrs are allied with that Zentraedi Khyron."

"Wait a minute. Did I hear you right?"

"Yes, Commander. Before my escape, I managed to overhear a conversation between the Blood Martyrs' leader with Khyron. I recognized Khyron from the time he made that broadcast calling for a Zentraedi revolt."

"So Khyron has allied himsefl with native terrorists," said Commander Hayes. "This is serious."

"It's a girl!" someone shouted.

I looked and saw a young man with blue dyed hair.

"What is it, Lieutenant?" asked Commander Hayes.

"Miriya just called me," said the lieutenant. "she just had her baby! It's a girl!"

"Uh, congratulations," I said.

ooooooooooo

Because I lived in Macross City, the Spacy gave me a ride back to the Macross Joint Forces Air Field. From there I was able to get a ride back to my apartment.

I lay down in my bed. I wondered what the Blood Martyrs' Brigade and Khyron's followers have planned for us. I wondered if they would come after me. I spent over an hour staring up at the ceiling. 


	27. Malcontents Strike

I heard the doorbell ring, so I grabbed my pistol and put it behind my back.

"Who's there?" I asked.

"It's me, Jenna," said the voice.

I looked through the peephole. Jenna was alone, wearing a heavy coat. I opened the door and she came in.

"Hi," she said. "Are you all right?"

"I made it out alive," I said, sitting on the couch. "Listen, I have beer and soda in the fridge if your thirsty."

"No thanks. I'm not particularly thirsty."

It was the weekend after my escape from the Blood Martyrs' Brigade. Jenna had decided to come over and visit for the weekend. The hostage crisis was big news. I did not give any interviews though.

I had done some research on the Blood Martyrs from my office. They were a terrorist faction founded in the West Bank. They did not have as much influence as other terrorist groups. They went into hiding during the Robotech War, and only resurfaced recently.

Samir Atta Nidal was an imam who was wanted for several terrorist bombings. The Interpol and the Mossad was trying to track him down right up until the Rain of Death. Now he has surfaced and allied himself and his people with renegade Zentraedi.

Of course, this little fact did not make it to the news. Apparently, the military kept quiet Samir's connection with the Zentraedi rebels.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Jenna, sitting close to me.

"Sure," I said. "I guess if there's anyone to talk to, it's you. I remember seeing their leader. He had this crazed look in his eyes, like he was mad. He had us watch this woman hostage get raped and murdered. I remember what they were shouting- Allahu Akbar!"

"Amazing that anyone would follow that creep."

"His followers are unsociable loners who are taken in by this man. They follow his cause because they derive meaning into their lives and because of false promises to paradise. How much do you know about the history of the region?"

"Not much."

"Well, people like Samir Atta Nidal raised an entire generation for the Devil and Hell, teaching them to hate Jews and that blowing thmselves up in a crowd of people would get them into paradise. It was n't hard for him to recruit followers, esepcially after the Rain of Death. They were raised to hate. It's hard to imagine how many people entered Hell following those teachings. These guys are worse than the Inquisition."

"You sure know history. Maybe you should be a history teacher or something."

"You know, sometimes I wonder if I have a sniper trained on me. Macross City looks a lot less safe. There are so many places for a sniper to hide. And this building is vulnerable to a fuel-oil-feritlizer bomb. I wonder if I'll ever seem tomorrow."

"I remember feeling like that. Whenever I launched out of the Prometheus, I wondered if I would ever return, if it would be my last flight. Or even if there would be ship to return to. I mean, Lani's first combat mission as a first lieutenant was also her last."

"This is different. The Zentraedi wanted to capture the battle fortress and you and I were just people in the way. The Blood Martyrs may be coming after me, specifically."

"Then we're gonna have to take the battle to them!"

"I doubt it. The UN is still dealing with Zentraedi holdouts who are still fighting their war with us. I don't have a destroid battalion or a veritech squadron at my disposal."

"I heard of that Zentraedi Khyron."

"He's working with the Blood Martyrs."

"Are you kidding?" asked Jenna.

"No. I saw Samir Atta Nidal speaking to Khyron. The news wasn't made public."

ooooooooooooooooo

Later that day, Jenna and I paid a visit to the wall as the sun was setting. She wanted to pay respects to Lani, and had puchased white carnations from a florist. she also thought it would do me good.The wall was a popular place which received many visitors, since so many in Macross City had lost loved ones in the Robotech War. I looked at the names etched in stone, some of them which I recognized. Flowers decorated the bottom.

I looked around. I could see bushes- places where a Blood Martyr sniper could hide.

"Hi there," someone said.

"Yaaah," I said. I looked and saw the three Zentraedi defectors- Konda, Rico, and Bron.

"Sorry," said Rico.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"We just wanted to visit the wall," said Bron.

"We wanted to pay respects to our former enemies who didn't make it," said Konda. "They were valiant warriors, just like those we lost."

"What's going on?"

"We're applying to become Micronian citizens," said Bron. "We won't just be living among Micronians, we will BE Micronians."

"That's great," said Jenna.

"Is there anyone on the wall you're visiting?" asked Konda.

''Yes," said Jenna, pointing to Lani's name on the wall. "She and I were close friends. You know, you three remind me of me and Lani and Katie."

"Is Katie?" asked Rico.

"Katie's still alive," said Jenna.

"You know," said Bron. "Miriya Parino just had a baby. A baby girl."

"That's great," I said.

"Hi there," said this female voice. "Visting the wall?"

I looked and saw Lieutenant Commander Claudia Grant, wearing her green uniform and carrying some red roses. I could never forget her for sending my message to my family after the UN refused to let the civilians on board SDF-1 resettle.

"Uh, yeah," I said. "Jenna was visiting and wanted to pay respects to one of her best friends. What's going on with you?"

"I'm going to be an auntie," said Claudia. "My sister-in-law Jean is pregnant."

"I should pay a visit to Vince," I said.

I looked towards the wall.

Then I looked around the park where the wall was located. So many wide open spaces. I felt very vulnerable.

ooooooooooooo

A few days later, I decided to pay visit to Vince Grant as he was working in the bar.

"Hey there," I said. "Congraltulations, man. I heard you're gonna be a daddy."

"Who told you?" asked Vince.

"Claudia told me. When did this happen?"

Vince poured orange juice and vodka into a glass. "Back in August. It was a special occasion."

"Make sure you invite me to the baby's christening."

"Of course."

"Hey Vince," said this young lady. "Congratulations. I heard you're having a baby."

"Everybody knows," said Vince before speaking to the woman.

After finishing my drink, I decided to gamble some money.

oooooooooooooooo

Christmas was coming up in a few days, and I had already booked a flight back to New York. My office held a Christmas party, and my apartment building will also be hosting a Christmas party. The Associated Press office was deocrated with all sorts of Christmas decorations.

"So long, everyone," I said. "I';m flying back to my family's home tomorrow evening."

"Bye, Boss," said Keith, holding a plastic cup filled with punch.

"Have a safe trip, sir," said Rebecca, holding a cookie sprinkled with red and green sprinkles.

I went to the garage and got into my white Ford Mustang. I started the engine and drove through the streets of Macross City to my apartment building. The party was held in the commons area. Champange, cookies, bacon-wrapped scallops, and stuffed musrooms were served. Vince and Jean were there, along with Konda, Rico, and Bron along with three women who work at RDF Headquarters inside the SDF-1.

"This will be our last Christmas here," said Vince. "I'm looking for a new house where the baby will live."

"I'll help you pack," I said.

"We'll help too," said Rico.

And then three people came in- a man with blue-dyed hair and blue-tinted glasses, a woman with green hair, and a baby in a portable baby seat. That was Max and Miriya. And their baby, the baby girl that made history, Dana Komillia Sterling.

"Hi Dana," said Bron, looking at the baby's face.

"This is the first time we took Dana out of the house since her christening," said Max.

"Hi," I said to little Dana.

"She's such a sweet baby," said Miriya. "Childbirth is such a miracle. We came here to visit the baby's godfathers."

"She's so cute," said one of the three women who were guests of the Zentraedi defectors.

I smiled. Who knew what little Dana would accomplish?

oooooooooooooooo

I returned to my family home in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City after a long flight and a long wait through customs. I paid my fare to the taxicab driver and I rang the doorbell.

"Hi," said Dad. "Welcome home."

"Hi Dad," I said. "What's going on?"

"Well, they're almost finished refitting that alien cruiser. It's gonna be a real party when it's complete."

Then Mom called out my name. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"Fine," I said.

"I heard you were one of the hostages of those terrorists."

"That's right. I managed to get out alive."

"That's what's important," said Mom.

I walked towards my old room. I looked out the window and I saw the crashed Zentraedi spaceship, with scaffolding on all sides. It reminded me of the old pictures of the reconstruction of SDF-1. We werelucky that the ship was under Breetai's command.

Christmas dinner was great. We talked about our lives, and how much Sally's children had grown. The only thing I said about my experience with the Blood Martyrs was that I was glad to have escaped with my life. Still, their shadow cast a presence, especially since they were allied with renegade Zentraedi. As I ate the deep-fried turkey, I wondered if I would be able to escape the shadow of the Blood Martyrs.

ooooooooooooooooooo

I flew back to Macross City the day after Christmas. Jenna could not be with me for New Years' Eve, since she was on duty. I ran in the new year at the Bright Star Casino with my friends. After that, I continued with my work as an editor. By concentrating on my work, I could focus on something other than the prospect of the Blood Martyrs coming after me.

One day in March, Quinn Sullivan decided to take a vacation to pay me a visit in Macross City. I picked him up at Macross International Airport. The airport was a lot bigger with more buildings.

"Welcome to Macross City," I said as I saw Quinn.

"Thanks, Scoop," he replied.

We both loaded his luggage into the trunk of my Ford Mustang. I then started the engine and drove off to my apartment.

"We have really short days this time of year," I said.

"I heard that Macross City used to be near the tropics," said Quinn.

"Well, the events of the past four years have been, welll, I'm sure that schoolchildren would want to read about it over and over again a hundred years from now."

Sudddenly I saw this giant man fall to the ground. I slammed my brakes hard.

"What the hell is that?" asked Quinn.

"A Zentraedi," I said. "Some of their engineers are working here."

I got out of the car and saw two of the giant-sized Zentraedi arguing.

Then one of them impaled the other Zentraedi, the one who had been knocked to the street earlier. The attacker then ran away. I looked and saw the fleeing giant and heard the honking of horns as drivers of cars tried to avoid him.

"It looks like we have a story to cover," I said.

"Just like old times," said Quinn.

Minutes later, the wounded Zentraedi engineer was airflifted by two Chinook helicopters. The Macross City Police Department was there.

"Hello," said this man in a suit. "Detective Fantone, MCPD. Tell us what happened."

"Well, my friend and I were going to his apartment. I came to visit him from New York and my flight had arrived. Suddenly this giant falls down onto the street. He was arguing with aniother giant, and then the giant who fell on the street was stabbed."

"That's what happened," I said. "They were arguing in their nartive tongue. After he stabbed the othert giant, he ran that way."

I then remembered where I had met Detective Fantone. It was back on SDF-1. He had arrested me for the casino bombing three years ago.

"Okay, people," said this woman with curly black hair, wearing a police uniform. "I want this crime scene to be secure."

I noticed the four stars on her collar and the nametag C. LASALLE. She was the security chief on SDF-1.

"Excuse me," I said to her, telling her about what I had seen.

"Thank you," she said.

"You were on the SDF-1, right?"

"That's right," she said. "I was a Spacy lieutenant and provost marshal on board SDF-1. I resigned my commission when I was offered an appoinment as chief of the police department."

"Do you have a statement, Chief?" I asked.

"We've had other incidents of Zentraedi causing trouble. We're going to work with the Zentraedi military to find the assailant."

"So this isn't the first time this happened?"

"No, there are reports of rioting by the Zentraedi. Some of them want to fight again."

So it is happening. Some of the Zentraedi were not satisfied with peace. If a leader were to gather them, they might renew the Robotech War.

And there was such a leader.

ooooooooooooooo

After Quinn unpacked in my apartment and told me what an awesome place I had and that it was better than his Greenwich Village apartment, we went to the Bright Star Casino where we gambled some money in slot machines, blackjack, craps, and poker. We then had a drink where Vince was tending the bar.

"Hi Vince," I said. "This is my friend Quinn Sullivan. He's visiting from New York."

"Hi," said Quinn.

"I'm your bartender, Vince Grant," he said.

"Get us some screwdrivers please," said Quinn.

"Right with you."

And so we drank. Quinn told me stories of the happenings in the New York office. Mr. Chegwidden was still the editor. The office hired three new people. Art and Cassie were still working there.

"Did you hear about the Zentraedi engineer that was killed?" asked Vince.

"Quinn and I saw it happen," I said.

"It's too bad," said Quinn. "I wonder how his family feels. Does he have a family?"

"Zentraedi are born from cloning chambers," I said.

"Maybe he has clone-mates."

"How is Jean doing?" I asked Vince.

"She's doing well," said Vince. "Her pregnancy's going along okay."

"Will it be her first baby?" asked Quinn.

"Yeah," replied Vince. "Our first."

"First one's the charm. I remember a few years ago when my brother had his baby."

"What's his name?"

"George Sullivan. That's my nephew."

ooooooooooooooo

I took Quinn on a tour of Macross City, especially the memorial wall. We talked about old times and plans for the future. And I mentioned Jenna.

It was time for him to go back to New York, so I dropped him off at the airport.

"Take care," I said.

"You too," he replied.

I then drove back home.

oooooooooooooo

There were more reports on the news wires of Zentraedi rioting, both among the micronized and macronized populations. I was watching a news report in my office. A UN Army officer, Colonel Anatole Leonard, spoke from United Nations Headquarters in New York announcing the formation of the Global Military Police to deal with the renegade Zentraedi.

"I just got back," said Keith, entering my office. I had sent him to a press conference in Bernard Center, the headquarters of the Macross City Police Department which was named after the police chief that was killed when the Zentraedi invaded Macross City two years ago. "Here are my notes."

"Very well then. You have an article to write."

"Yes, sir."

I read Keith's notes. Police Chief La Salle has reported that the suspect in the slaying of the Zentraedi engineer had not been found, despite working with the US Air Force and the Zentraedi Air Force. The suspect was believed to be somewhere in the Alaskan wilderness.

Just another day at the office.

oooooooooooooooo

I flew back to New York to attend the opening ceremony of the Nova Complex, a commercial and residential complex built inside a crashed Zentraedi cruiser. The mayor and city officials werre there. Quinn was covering this event. We were all standing outside. A macronized Zentraedi officer stood outside, towering over us.

"It was two years ago that this alien ship crashed right here in Queens," said the mayor. "The aliens who crewed this ship turned against their leaders to fight with us. We decided to turn this ship of war into a place where we can work, shop, and live. Today we open for business. With over ten thousand residential limits and over a million square feet of retail space, this will be a tourist attraction to remember. "

We all clapped as His Honor cut a yellow ribbon to one of the entrances. We all went inside.

The place was like a shopping mall. There were all sorts of stores open, along with vacant retail space. Escalators and elevators allowed access to the different levels of the ship. There was even a train allowing quick transport around the place. The MTA even had a train stop inside the Zentraedi cruiser.

"Wow," said Quinn. "I never imagined such a place could exist."

"It is amazing even after all I've been through," I said, looking at the kiosks and stores.

A holographic billboard advertised the place, notifying us of two hundred stores and eighty fabulous restaurants. The place was crowded, like a mall on Christmas Eve. The mayor made sure to shake everyone's hand and pose for pictures. Quinn and I sat in a pub, drinking beers.

"DEATH TO ALL JEWS AND INFIDELS!" I heard someone yell. It came from outside.

I grabbed Quinn's hand. "We'd better get away!"

"This is for Allah and his prophet Muhammad!" yelled the voice.

And then there was a loud explosion that left rining in my ears.

oooooooooooooo

What was a celebration turned into a tragedy. Fifty people were killed, including the Mayor of New York City. Police officers and firefighters were at the scene. Ambulances took the wounded away. Quinn and I questioned police officers and witnesses.

Then a UN Army sedan arrived. Out stepped this bald man in a UN Army uniform.

"Hello there," I said. "I'm from the Associated Press."

"I'm Colonel Anatole Leonard from UN military headquarters," said the bald man. "I'm here to investigate any possible connection between the bombing and renegade Zentraedi. This was a Zentraedi space cruiser. Please excuse me."

I knew who was behind this bombing. The colonel was right about a connection with renegade Zentraedi.

oooooooooooooo

Samir Atta Nidal sent a recorded message to news media outlets, claiming to be behind the bombing of the Nova Complex in Queens. He said that there would be more bloodshed until the world bows before him.

Not long after the New York bombing, there was another incident in Detriot, Michigan. Renegade Zentraedi stole a resizing chamber being kept there. The UN Spacy Skull Squadron stopped the theft. But before they could take it back, the residents of Detroit demanded that thewy keep the resizing chamber. Lin Kyle, a resident of Macross City, had instigated this. Captain Rcik Hunter, the commander of Skull Squadron, decided to withdraw.

It was then that the renegade Zentraedi made another attempt, this time with powered armor. They stole the resizing chamber.

After that, there was a broadcast from their leader, who was Khyron.

"I have just captured the resizing chamber," said Khyron. "I now invite all Zentraedi to become giants again. Together, we can crush the Micronians!"

He had the same madness in his eyes as did Samir Atta Nidal. No wonder they formed an alliance.

ooooooooooo

I was working in my office, reviewing the articles of my reporters, when I received a call.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Some military people are here to see you, sir," said my secretary Lindsay.

Three men entered my office. They were General Maistroff, Colonel Beckett, and the Zentraedi liaison Exedore.

"Hello there," said General Maistroff. "We've reviewed your work. We have a special favor to ask you."

"Name it," I said.

"Zentraeid Supreme Commander Breetai is granting an interview," said Exedore. "We would oike you to do the interview."

"Where is he?"

"Up in his ship," said Colonel Angus Beckett. "We've arranged for Knight Squadron to fly you up there."

And so I rode with them in a staff car which was heading for the Macross Joint Forces Air Field, or JFAF.

"How are you doing, Colonel?" I asked.

"I now work in Marine RDF headquarters under General Maistroff here," said Colonel Beckett. "My flight status was degraded to B. Flying veritechs takes a toll on both man and machine. Those of us who don't get killed in action end up behind a desk."

"Angus Beckett was one of the best pilots," said General Maistroff. "Roy Fokker was the only veritech pilot on SDF-1 that scored more kills than Angus Beckett did. So, is it really true that those Blood Martyrs made an alliance with the Zentraedi Khyron."

"Very much so," I said. "I saw Khyron's image on that screen, and Nidal was definitely speaking to him. The Blood Martyrs claimed responsibility for some recent bombings in Israel."

"And with Khyron granting the Blood Martyrs safe harbor," said Exedore. "I have studied the beliefs of these Blood Martyrs. They were a lot like us Zentraedi."

Soon we arrived at the Knight Squadron offices in the JFAF. We all went through the main office with its many desks. Colonel Beckett opened the door to one of the private offices.

"Here is your pilot," said the colonel.

I went inside and saw a room with a desk, chairs, and file cabinets. There was a UNSM poster on the wall emphasizing aviation. A computer and some papers were on the desk.

I recognized the woman standing behind the desk in her black -trimmed uniform.

"Jenna," I said.

"I'll be the one flying you up there," she said. "It's a real privilege."

"Supreme Commander Breetai considers the interview very important," said Exedore.

"You will fly up there unarmed," said General Maistroff. "The ship's crew will escort you to his office. I have ordered that all runways be cleared as soon as you are ready for takeoff. Get suited, Major. You have a flight."

"Yes, sir," said Jenna.

oooooooooooooo

Minutes later, I(was suited up and ready to go. I rode in a Jeep to the hangar where Jenna's veritech plane sat.

"This is a VF-1R," said Jenna, pointing to the black plane. "It's a new model; I qualified for it."

"So you're now back in KNight Squadron."

"I'm the XO. Knight Squadron is the only veritech squadron where both the CO and XO are women."

"Good afternoon, ma'am," said this pilot in a green-trimmed flight suit. He was a young man with short brown hair on his head.

"Lieutenant Janus," said Jenna.

"Hi," I said, introducing myself. "Lieutenant Janus right?"

"Second Lieutenant Xamilon Janus, United Nations Space Marines. I used to be a Gnerl fighter pilot for the Zentraedi Air Force. One day, Supreme Commander Dolza ordered my ship to support an attack on Earth. Out of my squadron, only I survived. I was picked up and I served under Supreme Commander Breetai for a few months."

"Why did you come down here?" I asked.

"I wanted to live among the Micronians. I received my discharged and was reduced in size. It took a long time to become a veritech pilot. I understand that Major Murphy is flying you to Breetai's ship for an interview."

"That's right," I said. "Maybe after I return to Earth, I can interview you."

"I don't know if it will be okay."

"It will be an order, Lieutenant Janus," said Jenna.

"Yes, ma'am."

I climbed into the cockpit of the VF-1R Valkyrie and sat in the seat. Jenan went through the pre-flight checklist. she then started the engines ands taxied to the runway.

"Knight Two to JFAF Tower," she said. "We are ready for takeoff."

"You are cleared for immediate takeoff, Knight Two," said the air traffic controller. "Have a safe trip."

We took off and headed into space. 


	28. Interview with Breetai

Jenna and I were flying up into space in her VF-1R Valyrie veritech fighter ; I had not been to space since my return trip from the moon two years ago. I looked about and saw all sorts of spaceships in orbit. Salvage crews were still picking apart old Zentraedi spaceships that were disassembled. I thought about what questions I would ask the man who had once been our greatest foe.

I looked and saw this huge object, larger than the RDF's orbital traffic control station. "What is that thing?" I asked.

"That is the Robotech Satellite Factory," said Jenna. "Commander Breetai led the mission to capture the factory and bring it to Earth orbit. And we managed to pull it off all because of a little baby. We're only a few minutes from Breetai's flagship."

"Zentraedi flagship to unidentified vessel," said this male voice. "Please respond."

"This is UN Space Marine Veritech fighter Knight Two," said Jenna. "I am here delivering an important passenger for Supreme Commander Breetai."

There was a few seconds of silence.

"Acknowledged, Knight Two," said the voice. "You are cleared for landing in Landing Bay 1."

"Roger that. All systems okay. I am activating the ALS."

I looked at the massive spaceship ahead of us. The veritech fighter's automated landing system took action, adjusting the speed relative to the flagship. I saw ther open door of the landing bay. Soon, we were inside. I could see the green-colored Zentraedi shuttles, Zentraedi re-entry pods, and Zentraedi fighter planes. the veritech was switched to battloid mode.

"All thrusters disengaged," said Jenna.

We went inside an airlock and emerged into a corridor. A Zentraedi soldier waited for us.

"Lord Breetai is expecting you," he said. "Follow me please."

And so Jenna walked the battloid to folow the Zentraedi soldier, who stood as tall as the battloid. We passed several crew members along the way.

One thing I noticed was that there were walkways designed for people with human size. I remember reading that there were humans from the UN military who were assigned here.

After walking for a few minutes, our veritech battloid reached a door.

"This is Supreme Commander Breetai's office," said the soldier.

The battloid walked in. On the monitor screen I could see this tall man with azure skin. He wore a long coat. He had this plate on his face and he towered over our battloid.

"Your guests are here, sir," said the soldier.

"Welcome, my guests," he said in this voice that was like thunder. "I am Breetai, Supreme Commander over all Zentraedi. Soldier, you are dismissed. I want to speak with them alone and I do not wish to be disturbed unless it is an emergency."

"It shall be done, my lord," said the soldier before he left.

"I'd like to see the person who will be interviewing me," said Breetai.

"Okay," said Jenna. She changed the veritech into its guardian mode. The heat shield withdrew. Breetai looked even more imposing, since guardian mode sat shorter.

I waved at the supreme commander.

"So you are the one who will be asking me questions, little Micronian," said Breetai, looking closely at the cockpit.

"That's right," I said. "Where do I begin? I suppose I can start by asking you about your life. Where did you begin?"

"I came from a cloning chamber in the Zentraedi command headquarters. I was created with the knowledge to command an entire fleet. After I was tested on the basics of fleet command, I took command of my own fleet. I led my fleet to many victories against our enemies. I also suffered losses, and one time I was seriously wounded in a battle against the Invid. I was later ordered by Supreme Commander Dolza to capture the battle fortress that you call SDF-1. I chased after the fortress for a year. I was temporarily recalled to Zentraedi command headquarters. I then resumed my assignment of capturing the battle fortress. When it turned out that Dolza would exterminate me and my fleet, I sided with you."

"Why did you side with us?" I asked.

"You have to understand about the Zentraedi. We Zentraedi were created by these people whom we only know as the Robotech Masters. We were created to wage war. Male and female were kept separate. All Zentraedi were created from cloning chambers. The Robotech Masters prohibited us from making contact with anyone. Our only role was to fight the enemies of the Robotech Masters."

"Okay," I said.

"Many years ago, even before I heard of the battle fortress, a Zentraedi ship crashed on this planet. It was part of a fleet under the command of someone I knew as friend. The crew and the soldiers were stuck there, and they only had radio c ommunications. In the years they spent, they came to like the local culture. Some of them even micronized themsleves to live among those aliens. The aliens were a primitive people, much more primitive than you were when the SDF-1 first arrived on your planet. But they had music and love. Years after the crash, the fleet commander, Haziin, arrived at the planet to rescue his ship. The people of the planet were not enemies, so he did not attack. He and his staff came down to visit the ship. They too were exposed to culture. But when the ship was repaired, the ship's commander and crew refused to leave. They wanted to stay on the planet. He consulted with headquarters. He then had the ships' commander and staff executed."

"I could understand why."

"Dolza summoned me to headquarters. He told me that Haziin and his fleet had been contaimainted. to prevent contamination, his fleet and everyone on it had to be destroyed. I was ordered to lead the mission to destroy Haziin's fleet. I have fought many battles. This was my worst assignment. Haziin did not understand why he had to be killed at the hands of those he fought with. I gave the order. He and his fleet were completely destroyed. Years later, after that wedding, I knew that Dolza would order my extermination. At that point, I was no longer bound to serve him, so I decided to work with you Micronians."

"Interesting," I said. "Anyway, tell us more about the Robotech Masters."

"We know very little about them," said Breetai. "We know they look like you, and they are about the same size. They come from this place called Tirol."

"Have you been to Tirol?"

"I don't know. Tirol's location is secret from all except Dolza and his staff, and with their demise that knowledge is not available to any Zentraedi."

"What did you know of the SDF-1 before it crashed here?"

"The Robotech Masters use this ultra-high-density fuel called protoculture. This protoculture is used to power Zentraedi craft and mecha. The Zentraedi were completely dependent on the Robotech Masters for protoculture. Protoculture was the discovery of a scientist named Zor. But one day, Zor took all research data on board his own battle fortress and he took off with the last protoculture matrix. The loss of all protoculture matrices would destroy the Robotech Masters' empire. So they ordered Dolza to find the battle fortress."

"So all this happened because some guy decided to hoard the protoculture for himself."

"Yes. It is likely that the Robotech Masters will send their own forces to retrieve the protoculture matrix. They have a military force greater than the Zentraedi. We were just their cannon fodder."

"It makes sense," I said. "They would be stupid to create an army they can't control."

"I hope that negotation with the Robotech Masters would be possible," said Breetai. "I doubt we would be able to withstand their onslaught if they were to decide to attack Earth."

"Tell me about the state of affairs in the galaxy," I said.

"We estimate millions of civilizations in this galaxy alone," said Breetai. "We know little of them. The only ones besides you that we know of are those of our enemies. Almost all of them fell before us- with one exception."

"Who?" I asked, wanting to learn about an enemy that even held back the Zentraedi.

"The Invid," said Breetai. "We know little of them, excepti they are fierce, powerful enemies of the Robotech Masters. Over ten million people under my command fell to the Invid. This metal plate and artificial eye was due to an Invid attack. Until the battle over Earth, the Invid were responsible for the majority of Zentraedi losses. In fact, the Invid were still keeping us busy, which is why Dolza did not marshal all of his forces against you until two years ago."

"What do you plan to do now?"

"We must find Tirol. Only if the Robotech Masters knew that we could strike their home will they negotiate in good faith. We must also explore this galaxy. The Zentraedi were enforcers for the Masters, making them the masters of the galaxy. With the decimation of the Zentraedi, other nations may rise up against the Robotech Masters. The Zentraedi kept the peace; now hundreds of wars may erupt with the Robotech Masters' military might greatly reduced. Perhaps that might give them more reason to negotiate in good faith."

"What of the Zentraedi living on Earth?"

"I will not do anything to force them to serve under me; they can be replaced. They have chosen to live among the Micronians. Some of them are even serving in Micronian military units. It is the renegades that I must deal with, the onmes who wish to continue Dolza's war with the Micronians. Khyron is of great concern to me. So far, the renegade factions have been divided. If Khyron were to unite them, they could deal some heavy damage."

"Describe your experiences in your mission to capture SDF-1."

"That is one thing I will never forget. Everything was going according to plan until the ship folded into hyperspace near the surface of the Earth. And there was this Daedalus maneuver, where they shoved the Daedalus into one of my ships and blew it apart from the inside. They even blew up their own base to escape a gravity mine on Mars. Of course, my aide Exedore came up with brilliant strategies for us. It was his idea to use the Daedalus maneuver to sneak a Regult squadron on board ship."

"Do you want to live among us in human size?"

Breetai paced the room for a moment. "I am needed at my current post," he said. "Someday, when I have to pass the torch to my successor, I will live among you."

"I understand," I said.

I heard a ringing, and an image of a man appeared.

"Is this an emergency?" asked Breetai. "If it isn't then you will be scrubbing the corridorts for the next..."

"Sir, one of our ships is reporting a mutiny."

"A mutiny?" asked the supreme commander.

"Yes, my lord. The commanding officer was killed. Some of the ship's crew went into hiding and sent this distress signal."

"I want all ships to stand by. Scramble all fighters and pods. Have them hold the ship and prevent its escape!"

"Yes, sir."

"Micronians," Breetai said to us. "There is an emergency situation. Mutineers took over one of my ships."

"Should we help?' asked Jenna.

"Definitely," I said without hesistation, smiling.

"We will volunteer, sir," said Jenna.

"Excellent," said Breetai. "Go to the armory and pick up a weapon. I will inform your headquarters of the situations."

"Thank you for granting the interview," I said.

"You are welcome, Micronian," replied Breetai.

We left Breetai's office. One of his soldiers gave us a Zentraedi submachinegun. We were escorted through the flagship's corridors to the landing bay. We changed into guardian mode and took off from the flagship. We switched into fighter mode and flew towards the ship in question.

"This is Knight Two," said Jenna. "Give us the situation."

"They have control of the turrets," said a voice. "They're firing on our mecha!"

I could see that. There were tiny little explosions surrounding one of the Zentraedi warships.

"Hold on," said Jenna. "I'll provide support."

"Attention, Micronian fighter," said a voice. "Do not fire on Zentraedi mecha. Just take out the ship's turrets; they will cover for you."

"Copy that."

We approached within firing range. There were Gnerl fighters and Regult pods doing combat around the ship. We flew in close to the turrets, which were busy trying to fight Zentraedi mecha. Jenna then blasted the turrets with the veritech's lasers. She turned us around and went for another strafing round.

"That's three down," said Jenna.

We continued to make strafing runs acorss the hull of the Zentraedi ship, taking out the turrets.

Then a Regult battle pod stratyted into our flight path. Jenna turned the stick hard. I did not know what happened for the next few seconds, but we found ourselves in battloid mode, inside the Zentraedi warship.

A Zentraedi crewman emerged into the corridor. Was he friend or foe?

"Over here," he said to us.

We followed him to a small room. There were three other men inside.

"I am Major Jenna Murphy of the UN Space Marines," said Jenna. "I came here to assist you in repelling the mutiny."

A silver-haired man spoke. "I am Geno, executive officer on board the ship," he said. " A crew chief and his followers took the bridge and the turrets and the landing bay. They killed the crew commander. The mutineers swore their allegiance to that backstabber Khyron."

"What is the plan?" asked Jenna.

"I figured something out. Let's get you an outfit."

Two of Geno's men got a green cloak. They helped us put the clothes onto the battloid.

"There," said Geno. "As long as they don't have a good look at your face, you should be able to walk all the way to the bridge."

"That's a great plan," said Jenna.

"There's one small problem, sir," said one of the crewmen. "The pilot's voice sounds like a female. This ship is all male."

"I can do the talking," I said.

"Okay," said Geno. "Let's go. We'd better act fast before Breetai decides to destroy the ship."

And so we did. We walked along the corridor, with Geno and one of his men as prisoner. We passed severasl mutineers along the way; none of them. The plan was to take Geno to the brig. A battloid is more sturdy than flesh and blood Zentraedi. We navigated the corridors and stairwells for a few minutes. We finally reached the door to the brig. The brig was guarded by a soldier in body armor.

"Halt," he said. "What is your business?"

"I'm here to deliver these prisoners to the brig." I said.

"I don't recall any orders to bring prisoners here."

That was when Jenna struck the soldier down using the battloid's legs. She bent the battloid down and ripped off the soldier's helmet. She then used the servos to stomp the neck with great force.

The battloid then pressed a button to open the door to the brig. We went in and saw the Zentraedi prisoners.

Geno's aide unlocked the cells, freeing them.

"Let's take back the ship!" yelled Geno.

Geno led us and his crew through the corridors. We went to an armory where personla weapons were stored, and we fought against the mutineers. Geno's men picked up weapons and ammo and we continued on our way to the bridge. We took out the soldier guarding the entrance to the bridge. Then Jenna and I went in alone.

"What are you doing here?" asked their leader.

"I have come to report that Geno is plotting to take over the ship," I said.

"How so?"

"We're gonna help him."

Suddenly, three of the mutineers aimed their submachineguns at us.

"Surrender and I'll send you back to Breetai unharmed," said leader.

"I have a better suggestion. I want to call a cease fire between you and Geno. We can call Breetai and ask him to mediate this dispute over who has authority to command this vessel. There's no need for fighting. We call Breetai, and he will decide whether you or Geno will be in command."

They responded by firing at us. Jenna fired the Zentraedi submachinegun at the crew. Geno and his aide burst in, firing on the mutineers.

Geno went to a console and held a microphone. "This is Executive Officer Geno," he said. "I have taken control of the bridge. Any mutineer who surrenders will be spared their lives."

Suddenly I heard a shot. I looked at a console and it was smoking.

"It's too late," said the mutiny leader. "Look."

I looked at the ship's monitor screen. The Robotech Factory Satellite appeared to get bigger.

We were on a collision course.

"I can't regain helm control!" yelled Geno's aide. "We're gonna crash in fifteen seconds."

"Unless Breetai blasts us into bits," said Geno.

"I guess this is the end," said Jenna.

She was right. There did not seem to be a way out. I guess I knew that I had to fold them.

Fold!

"Intiate a hyperspace fold!" I yelled. "Now!"

The factory satellite was right in front of us, filling the view of the monitor screen. Suddenly, there was this strange multicolored light, like what I saw when Jenna first took me aboard SDF-1.

Then the satellite was gone. There was only empty space.

"It worked," said Geno.

"Where are we?" asked Jenna.

I wondered the same thing.

"I'll notify Breetai's flagship of our current position," said Geno's aide. "The fold took us pretty far from Earth."

"We still have some mutineers loose," said Geno. "Let's go."

And so we mopped up. The mutineers had no idea that they were fighting a veritech battloiud; they assumed we were a Zentraedi crewman with only a uniform for protection. They were surely surprised when their bullets did not penetrate. Soon we had killed or captured all mutineers.

We and Geno went back to the bridge. We made contact with Supreme Commander Breetai.

"My lord, the mutineers have been taken care of," said Geno. "Unfrotunately, the helm controls were damaged and we don't have manueuvering thrusters. I am requesting a repair team."

"I will send a scout ship over to your position," said Breetai. "You know what to do with the surviving mutineers."

"Yes, sir."

And so we threw the surviving mutineers out of an airlock and into the vacuum of space without any spacesuits. They quickly suffocated to death.

"There's something over there," said Jenna. "A large asteroid of some sort."

She flew the veritech fighter to the asteroid and then switched us to battloid mode. We stood on the ice and rock.

I knew this place.

"MacrossCity!" I yelled. "this is where it used to be. This is where we first met."

"You're right," said Jenna. "I'd recognize the island from anywhere."

"Scout Ship Thuverl to Micronian fighter," said a voice. "We are here to bring you home."

"Copy that," said Jenna. On our way.

We took one last look at the place where we first met. Then Jenna took off and flew to the Zentraedi scout ship. About an hour later, the ship folded to Earth. We left the ship and began our descent into Earth.

As we were entering Earth's atmosphere, Jenna raised the heat shield. The only view was that of the cockpit.

"I hope this didn't cause you inconvenience," said Jenna.

"Not really," I said. "It did break the mononotony of my job. And I got to go back to the island where Macross City used to be."

"As it did mine."

"We're gonna get to spend a lot of time together, you know. For the past two years I haven't spent that much time with you. I want to spend as much time with you as possible."

"I'll be looking forward to that."

"We've been through a lot, you know. We've had our joys and we shared in our sorrows. I love you more than anything. Jenna Annabelle Murphy, will you marry me?"

"Yes," she said. "Of course I will."

This was awesome! I was going to marry this wonderful lady! I was going to achieve one of my life's goals!

The heat shield was withdrawn, revealing the night sky. We flew towards Macross city for a few hours.

"Knight Two to JFAF Tower," said Jenna. "I am approaching for a landing."

"Copy that, Knight Two," said the air traffic controller. "There is heavy traffic, please stand by."

I looked down at the lights of Macross City. We stayed up here, just the two of us, for another thirty minutes.

"JFAF Tower to Knight Two," said the controller. "You are cleared to land on Runway 1."

Minutes later, the veritech fighter plane's landing gear tires touched the surface of the runway.

We were back on Earth. One step closer to the new life we would build together. 


	29. Drumhead

I published my articles about the interview with Zentraedi Supreme Commander Breetai and about the mutiny on board the Zentraedi cruiser. The article about the mutiny was a bigger seller. I was now engaged to Jenna Murphy, and I would have to make wedding plans. We both agreed to marry as soon as we could gather our guests.

Of course, the first few days after my proposal and her acceptance were pretty busy.

oooooooooooooooooo

I took another assignment shortly after my interview with Breetai. Khyron struck again. This time, he had taken two hostages- the singer Lin Minmei, and her cousin/manager Lin Kyle. Spacy Captain Dennis Ward arranged for me to be flown to the air base where the rescue operation would be conducted. Spacy Captain Lisa Hayes directed the joint operation involving the Spacy's veritech Skull Squadron, a Marine destroid battalion, and a detachment of Zentraedi soldiers from Breetai's fleet.

The plan was successful. The destroids and Zentraedi diverted Khyron's forces while the Skull Squadron under the command of Captain Rick Hunter rescued both Minmei and Kyle. They were dropped off at the base before Skull Squadron pursued Khyron and his troops.

"So what happened?" I asked Minmei as we stood outside under the night sky.

"We were captured during a concert," said Minmei. "They had us in a cage or something. They weren't used to my singing though. But then Khyron kissed that Zentraedi female that was with them. that was when the rescue operation began. Captain Hunter broke in and took out the Zentraedi inside."

"I have something to say," said Kyle. "Captain Hunter was reckless. He could have killed us all!"

"Stop it, Kyle!" barked Minmei. "Rick saved our lives! Why can't you be grateful!"

The hostages were rescued with only a minor complaint, I wrote later. Some of Khyron's troops were captured, but Khyron himself managed to slip away.

oooooooooooooooo

"My little girl's getting married," said Jenna's mom.

"That's right," said Jenna, standing in her family's living room in their house in Apollopolis on the moon. "We want to get married as soon as possible."

"We need to select a church, send out the invitations, rent a hall," I said.

"We'll be glad to help," said Jenna's dad.

"We could have the wedding as early as December," said Jenna. "No later than February."

"The purpose of an engagement is to plan the wedding," I said.

"I've been to many weddings, including that of my son Alex," said Jenna's dad. "Now I will get to be the one to give the bride away."

ooooooooooooooo

"So you're getting married," said Mom.

"That's right," I said as I stood in my family's living room in their house in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. "It's time for me to settle down."

"This is great," said Dad. "We'd better tell Sally and Tony and Tammy and Oliver."

"How do you feel, Jenna?" asked Mom.

"I'm so excited," said Jenna. "I could hardly wait."

"When's the big date?" asked Dad.

"We're still working on it," I said. "I hope we can have it as early as December. I hate long engagements."

"So do I," said Jenna.

I looked at the television which was still on. I saw US Air Force General William Waverly making a statement before the press.

"We have just launched a nuclear attack against enemy Zentraedi hiding out in Wyoming," said the general. "Two dozen were killed. The Zentraedi had been staging raids against communities in Wyoming. We located them and we dealt with them with maximum force. Intelligence indicates they were serving under the Zentraedi warlord Khyron. We coordinated with RDF Headquarters and Zentraedi Supreme Commander Breetai to carry out this attack. I have this message to all Zentraedi still fighting their war against us. Surrender or die. We still possess a mighty nuclear arsenal left over from the Global Civil War and we will use it."

"We just have a development from UN Headquarters," said the anchor. "We're taking you over there."

The UN Press Room appeared on the screen. A black-haired man in a suit stood before the podium. He was identified as UN delegate Wyatt Moran.

"People of Earth," said Wyatt Moran. "We have received reports of Zentraedi residents among us spying for the renegade warlord Khyron. And just recently there was a mutiny on one of the Zentraedi vessels, a mutiny which was crushed by quick, decisive action. We have millions of Zentraedi living as resident aliens in UN member-states and protectorates, and millions serving in Supreme Commander Breetai's fleet. Khyron's spies are hiding among them. I am announcing that we will be holding public hearings into this matter. We will grant amnesty to anyone who turns over a Zentraedi spy."

I wondered if this would lead to trouble.

oooooooooooooooooo

Jenna and I attended a christening at a church in Macross City. Vince's wife Jean had her baby a while ago, and she and her husband were there with the baby. Vince was dressed in a nice suit, and Jean was dressed in a simple blue maternity dress.

It was the first time I met the baby, Bowie Roy Grant.

"Hi there," I said to the recently-born Bowie.

"He's so cute," said Jenna.

"Try not to get too close to his face," said Jean. "We don't want little Bowie to get sick."

"Neither do we want to wake him up," said Vince.

"Just wait until he starts yapping," said Rolf Emerson, who was Bowie's godfather.

"We're getting married," said Jenna, holding my arm.

"Congratulations," said Jean.

"We've been spending a lot of time planning the wedding. I think we could do it by January."

"it gets cold here in January," said Vince.

"No need to wait," I said. "We have the money; we just have to gather everyone together. I already selected a best man, and my two brothers will be two of the groomsmen. I'd like you to be a groomsman, Vince."

"I accept," said Vince.

Just then, I noticed three policemen from the UN Army's Global Military Police enter the room. They approached Konda, Rico, and Bron, who were attending the ceremony.

"Yes?" asked Konda.

"We are informing you that you will be summoned to UN Headquarters in New York to testify in a hearing," said the officer.

"A hearing?" asked Rico.

"Yes. We have concerns of Zentraedi spies living among us."

"We used to be spies," said Bron.

"All air fare and hotel and food will be paid for."

Then the MP's left the church.

oooooooooooooooo

I watched the hearings from my office. The UN Commision on Alien Activities was now in session. It had been front page stories for the past few days. I wondered if Quinn was there covering the story. The commission members sat behind this wooden table.

"So tell me Konda," said Wyatt Moran, who was the chairman of the commission. "When did you decide to live among us?"

"After we returned from a spying mission, we were impressed by your culture," said Konda, who was dressed in a suit. "When we heard that Breetai was going to sneak in a Regult squadron, he took action. We shrunk ourselves to Micronian size and we managed to get on board the ship. Once there, we surrendered to the crew."

"And you are willing to live under our laws?" asked this woman.

"Yes."

"You admitted to being a spy," said Colonel Anatole Leonard. "How do we know you're not spying against us now?"

"We're not your enemies anymore," said Konda. "And Supreme Commander Breetai made peace with you. We never served under that backstabber Khyron."

"We know you have contact with other resident Zentraedi," said this man in a Spacy uniform. "Do you suspect any of them of being spies for Khyron?"

"No. We all defected together. There's no way we'd serve Khyron. He killed his own troops to achieve victory. There is no way we'd serve someone like that."

"Whom is your loyalty to?" asked Wyatt Moran.

"To the United Nations of Earth," said Konda.

I heard the door open, and Rebecca entered the office. "Here's my article," she said, handing me sheets of paper.

"Thank you," I said. She left the room and I reviewed the article.

ooooooooooooooo

In between my duties at the Associated Press's Macross City office and arranging my wedding which was scheduled for January, I spent my spare time watching the hearings.

"State your name," said Wyatt Moran.

"Second Lieutenant Xamilon Janus of the United Nations Space Marines," said the witness, dressed in a UNSM dress uniform. "I currently serve in the UNSM 1st Veritech Fighter Squadron, the Knights."

"And you were a Zentraedi, correct?"

"Yes, sir. I was a Gnerl fighter pilot assigned to the Two Hundred Fourth Fleet. After the battle over Earth, I was reassigned to the flagship of Supreme Commander Breetai. A year ago I applied for a commission to serve in the UN Space Marines. I wanted to stay a warrior, and yet live with the Micronians. I came to love their culture, and it's something worth fighting to defend."

"How many Zentraedi do you maintain contact with?" asked Colonel Leonard.

"About three, sir. Like me, they chose to live among the Micronians. We were lucky that Lord Breetai let us go."

"Well," said Leonard, "we have sources that indicate that you are a spy for Khyron."

"What?" asked Lieutenant Janus. "Says who?"

"We're asking the questions, Lieutenant," said the colonel. "Are you a spy for Khyron?"

"No, sir! I never even heard of Khyron before I lived on Earth. And from what I heard since, he sacrificed his own troops to achieve victory. Everyone knows you're supposed to sacrifice the enemy's troops to win."

And so it went on like that. Almost every Zentraedi who was brought before the panel was told they were accused of being a spy, by anonymous sources.

Then it was my turn to appear. The Global Military Police came to my office.

"Yes?' i asked.

"The mailman had trouble delivering you certified mail," said the officer.

"Well, I'm usually here during the day."

"You are to appear before the UN Commission on Alien Activities."

ooooooooooooooooo

And so I headed back to New York. The UN put me in a nice hotel in Manhattan, just blocks from UN Headquarters. They also paid for all air fare.

I appeared before the commission room. I could see the members, both civilian and military. Ariound the room were television cameras. There were reporters here taking notes. I noticed Quinn was here.

"Tell us about how you came to be on SDF-1," said Wyatt Moran.

And so I told the commission my whole story.

"Captain Gloval had you interview the Zentraedi defectors, did he not?" asked Colonel Leonard.

"Yes," I said. "They wanted to find out if the defectors got their story straight."

"And you still have contact with the defectors?" asked a Spacy commander.

"Yes, I do. I live in the same building as three of them."

"Are they spies for Khyron?" asked a woman.

"Definitely not," I said. "Given how they described him when I first met him, there is no way they would work for him."

"We have reports that you expressed sympathy for the Zentraedi," said a woman on the panel. "You even wrote a supprotive article when one of them married one of us."

"They're people like you and me," they said. "Most of them chose not to be our enemies, and live among us as our neighbors. We must vanquiosh or make peace with our enemies no matter what world they come from. We must treat our neighbors the way we would want to be treated."

"You were once held captive by a terrorist group," said Colonel Leonard. "When you were rescued, you reported that they were working with Khyron."

"That's right. Samir Atta Nidal and his Blood Martyrs' Brigade were allied with Khyron. the Blood Martyrs recently blew up a bus in Israel."

"So there are humans who are cutting deals with Khyron," said Leonard. "Perhaps humans from Earth are spying for him too."

"Some of them are," I said.

ooooooooooooo

"How were the hearings?" asked Jenna after my return to Macross City.

"It was a bunch of questions," I said. "They did ask me about Khyron's connection to those terrorist that held me hostage."

"I guess it's now public," said Jenna.

ooooooooooo

And so the hearings continued. Now some of the humans were being informed that they were identified as spies for Khyron. Accusations came up from out of the blue.

There was one session that I would not forget. I was sitting in my office when I saw it.

"Okay, Miriya Parino," said Wyatt Moran. "How did you come to live among us."

"When I was serving under Azonia," said Miriya, "I formulated a plan to elimiate the SDF-1's best fighter pilots. I led the mission and I found myself in combat with this blue veritech. He beat me. I was so humilaited that I asked to become a Micronian spy. I was planted on board the ship and I waited to find him. I finally found him in the Close Encounters Arcade. He asked me to meet him in the park. When I showed up, I tried to kill him. He beat me. He then told me he loved me. That was when Maximilian Sterling proposed to me. I accepted, and we were married. I later joined the Skull Squadron and fought in battle against Dolza's fleets."

"So you admitted you snuck on board ship to murder one of our pilots," said Colonel Leonard.

"Yes, sir. I fell in love with him."

"You served under Azonia. Azonia is currently Khyron's second-in-command. We have sources telling us you are still working for her as a spy."

"That's not true!" yelled Miriya.

"You admitted to becoming a spy for her so you can murder one of our pilots."

"I was a spy. I stopped being a spy after I married Max."

"And how do we know you're still not a spy?"

"This hearing's a farce!" yelled someone.

I looked and saw Lin Kyle.

"Mr. Lin," said Wyatt Moran. "We have already heard from you."

"What kind of hearing is this!" yelled Kyle. "You make up accusations and you expect them to answer."

"Remove him," said Moran.

Two security guards dragged Kyle out.

"Tell us how we know you are not a spy," said Colonel Leonard. "Tell us how we know your husband is not a spy for Khyron. After all, he fell in love with a Zentraedi, and we know that human terrorists are working with..."

Then Miriya got up and lunged towards the table. Soon a message appeared on the screen about technical difficulties.

oooooooooooooooooo

The hearings came to a close after that incident. I assumed the Global Military Police kept a discreet investigation into anyone spying for Khyron. there was some reports of renegade Zentraedi activity, including a raid on the airport in Monument City. Christmas was coming up. This would be my last Christmas as a single man, and I would spend it in good old Macross City.

Knight Squadron had its Christmas Party in a meeting room in its headquarters. Punch and cookies and stuffed mushrooms and bacon-wrapped scallops were served. Jenna and Katie were there, along with others in the squadron and their dates. We all celebrated the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"This Christmas is interesting," said Lieutenant Xamilon Janus. "Amazing story about how your creator took your form and died for you. Your creator loves you; our creators don't love me or the other Zentraedi."

"Maybe my creator could adopt you," I said, sipping punch.

"So you're getting married next month," said Katie. "I can't wait."

"You're telling me," I said.

"Congratulations man," said Captain Jonathan Wolfe. "Or condolences."

A Marine corporal entered the room. "Colonel, Major," he said. "There is a renegade Zentraedi raid on Macross City. RDFHQ has ordered all fighters to scramble."

"I got it," said Knight Squadron's commanding officer, a woman with shoulder-length brown hair. "Lets' scramble."

"Enjoy yourself," said Jenna. "I've got to go."

"Merry Christmas and a happy new year," I said.

Khyron was staging a raid on Macross City. He stole the protoculture storage matrix that was stored in a military warehouse. He then had bombers set off bombs all across Macross City, setting much of the place on fire. The veritech fighters assistged the Macross City Fire Department in putting out the fires and rescuing the people.

Khyron later interrupted a television transmission. "I would like to thank the Blood Martyrs for their sacrifice," he said. "i could not have done it without them."

Jenna came back after all the fires were put out. "Take a look outside," she said.

I went outside the Knight Squadron headquarters, and I saw the SDF-1 decorated with Christmas lights.

oooooooooooooooooo

My wedding was approaching fast. I was at the airport to pick up my parents and brothers and sisters.

"Welcome to Macross City," I said to them as they stood on the sidewalk next to the terminal building.

"So it's finally here," said Mom.

"Could you take us around?" asked Oliver.

"We'd better get you to your hotel room."

A limousine then took them to the Macross Hyatt.

oooooooooooo

"The next time we meet, we'll be at the church," said Jenna.

"That's right," I said, standing before the memorial wall.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen were here with us. I had introduced Tony and Oliver to Vince, Konda, Rico, Bron, and my best man Quinn Sullivan. Jenna had six bridesmaids which included her sisters Daisy and Grace . Her maid of honor was Katie Taney.

"Well, Lani," said Jenna, facing the wall. "I'm getting married."

She laid down a wreath of flowers.

Lani would have liked that.

oooooooooooooo

The bachelor party was at the Big Bounce Strip Club, not far from the Hyatt Hotel where my family was staying. I was there with a band of people, including Tony, Oliver, Quinn, Vince, Konda, Rico, and Bron. the place was dark and there were plenty of strippers.

Rico was having a lap dance, with the stripper rubbing her tits on his face. I looked and noticed he got used to the Micronian custom, as he referred to it.

"That Rico fellow is sure enjoying it," said Tony.

"He's a Zentraedi," I said. "An alien."

"No way."

We all sat and drank our beers. Vince and I watched as the guestshad lap dances with the strippers.

"Look at that," said Vince. "You think they'd never been with a woman before."

Fortunately, there was no fight tonight. I went back home and lay in bed, for tomorrow I would be a husband. 


	30. The Last Infitada

I woke up and had a bowl of Frosted Flakes cereal and a glass of Minute Maid orange juice for breakfast. Today was the big day. today was my wedding day.

I combed my hair and then I put on my black tuxedo, making sure everything was okay. I wanted to look flawless for this happiest day of my life.

I got into the van with Quinn, Tony, Oliver, Vince, Konda, Rico, and Bron. We drove through the streets of Macross City and we reached the cathedral where I would be married. I walked up the steps. I would enter single and leave married.

Wooden pews lined the cathedral's main room. There were over three dozen people here, all finely dressed. I saw Mom and Dad and Sally and Tammy. Mom, Sally, and Tammy were wearing cream-colored dresses; Dad was wearing a black tuxedo. Sally's daughter was in this cute cream colored dress; she would be a flower girl. Looking at the other side, I saw Jenna's parents and her brothers Alex and Cameron. The guests to our wedding- there were about three dozen or so- entered the cathedral. I waited patiently, decked out in my tuxedo.

Then Jenna appeared in her white wedding dress. She walked along the aisle, escorted by her maid of honor Katie Taney and her bridesmaids. I stood at the altar, looking at her. She never looked so beautiful.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" asked the priest.

"I do," said Jenna's dad, decked out in a black tuxedo. He took his daughter by the arm and escorted her to the altar. Jenna and I faced each other.

"The rings please," said the priest.

Quinn Sullivan and Katie Taney presented the wedding bands.

"Do you, Jenna Annabelle Murphy, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" asked the priest.

"I do," said Jenna.

the priest then asked me if I would take this woman as my lawfully wedded wife.

"I do," I said.

"By the authority granted to me by the United Nations, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

And so I did, our first kiss as husband and wife. I was so thrilled to give me new wife a kiss. The guests took pictures. Jenna and I now walked down the aisle, with people taking pictures and congraulating us on our marriage.

We went to the front steps of the cathedral where a black limousine waited to take us to the Joint Forces Air Field where the reception would be.

"Congratulations," said my new mother-in-law.

"We hope you'll have a happy marriage," said my new father-in-law.

"We're so proud," said Mom.

"Good luck to you," said Dad.

"My big brother married," said Tony. "I can't believe it."

"Marriage is a wonderful thing," said Sally. "I know."

"Just stick together you two," said Alex.

"We'll be thinking of you every time we look at Earth," said Daisy.

We stayed there for a while, receiving congratulations from guests and posing for picutres. But we had to get going to the base.

Jenna and I sat in the limousine. The driver closed the door and the limousine passed through the streets of Macross City, heading for the Joint Forces Air Field.

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Our plan was to orbit the Earth in Jenna's VF-1R after the wedding, so that was what we did. We went to Knight Squadron headquarters in the Joint Forces Air Field and we both suited up in flight suits. The limousine then took us to the Knight Squadron hangar.

The VF-1R was prepped. It was in guardian mode, and had FAST packs attached to the legs and back. Ther phrase JUST MARRIED was stenciled onto the FAST packs. Jenna was one of the few flying aces of the First Robotech War, so she got this privilege. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were not far away.

Jenna and I climbed into the cokcpit and took our seats. We waved to the wedding party, who waved to us back. Jenna then closed the canopy.

"Initiating pre-flight check," she said. "Instruments check. Auxiliary power check. Ailerons check. Flaps check. Protoculture boosters check. Dorsal FAST pack check. Port FAST pack check. Starboard FAST pack check. Loving husband, check."

"I'm ready to go," I said.

"Knight Squadron Two, pilot Jenna Murphy. All systems check. We are ready for takeoff."

"Copy that," said the air traffic control officer. "You may take off immediately."

Jenna puished the throttle, and the powerrful thrusters thrust the VF-1R Valkyrie guardian into the sky. I felt myself take on additional weight. After rising to twqenty thousand feet, Jenna switched to fighter mode, aimed the nose upward, and put on maximum thrust. A few minutes later, the blue sky was replaced with black space. Soon we were in low Earth orbit. I was thrilled to be up here with her. We would complete one orbit, our first as husband and wife.

I looked around and saw both UN and Zentraedi ships. I saw the Robotech Satellite Fatory and a huge spaceship. the huge spaceship had several other ships docked to it.

"There's the SDF-2," said Jenna. "It was scheduled for completion today. All they have to do is add atmosphere and fuel and it can leave."

"Where would it go?" I asked.

"To find the homeworld of the Robotech Masters. Hopefully we can negotiate. If not, we can make sure the next Robotech War is on their home planet."

Five Zentraedi Gnerl fighters flew past us.

"Looks like they're giving us a sendoff," I said. I waved to them.

Jenna then rotated the veritech fighter around its roll axis so that Planet Earth was above us. I looked up and gazed at my home planet.

We continued as we flew under the night side of the planet. I looked up and saw the lights from the cities.

"Want to raise the heat shield?" asked Jenna.

"Sure," I said.

The heat shield was raised. It was only me and Jenna here, alone. We were isolated from the rest of the Universe.

"It's amazing," said Jenna. "We've been through so much."

"And now here we are," I said. "Husband and wife, in orbit around the Earth."

And we just sat there, enjoying each other's presence. At this time and time, only the two of us were relevant; nothing else mattered.

"We've alsmost completed our orbit," said Jenna. "I'd better lower heat shields."

And the heat shield was lowered, revealing the Earth above us. I looked around the spacecraft in orbit. I copuld see about thirty Zentraedi Gnerl fighters flying in formation. They were heading towards the satellite factory and the SDF-2.

And then they opened fire. The hull of the SDF-2 was lit up with fireballs.

"Did you see that?" I asked.

"Renegade Zentraedi," said Jenna. "I'd better turn on the radio."

"SDF-2's taken a direct hit!" yelled a voice.

"Do you want to go ahead?" asked Jenna.

"Yes," I said. "We can do it...together."

"Earth Orbital Control, this is Knight Two," said Jenna. "I'm up in Earth orbit and I'm going in to repel the attack on SDF-2. I am equipped with FAST packs and I am fully armed. I'll hold them off until you can send reinforcements."

Jenna pushed the throttle forward, and we flew towards the SDF-2. We approached closer and closer even as the enemy fighter were shooting holes in its hull.

"Fire!" yelled Jenna. She launched a volley of missiles. The missiles found their targets, blasting the Gnerl fighters to pieces. I kerjked forward ans jenna switched to guardian mode and delivered another volley of missiles. She then changed into battloid mode and started shooting down the Gnerls with the GU-11 gunpod. "This is Knight Two! I am engaging the enemy!"

"Copy that, Knight Two," said a female voice. "Reinforcements will be there in seven minutes."

We took on the Gnerl fighters, blasting them with missiles, laser beams, and cannon fire. The FAST packs really helped in this battle, our first battle together as husband and wife.

Then this missile flew really close to us. Jenna jerked the stick to get us away. I saw the missile make impact with the SDF-2's hull.

We flew around, and then we saw what fired on us. It was bigger than the Gnerl fighters, it was painted black. It had three thrusters. We chased after it, but this enemy fighter was a lot fasters than the Gnerls. It dodged most of our attacks; it was almost like it was equipped with FAST packs. We flew around the SDF-2, hoping to use it as cover.

We then were flying towards it. I could see the front. The thing had two arm appendanges in the front. We fired at the fighter, and it fired back. I felt the impact as a glancing shot hit our fighter.

"We've ID'd what you're up against, Knight Two," said a voice. "It's a Glaug officer's battle pod encased in a fighter booster. The booster allows it to accelerate more."

"Thanks," said Jenna.

"Hello, infidel," a voice said.

"We have a transmission coming from the enemy craft," said Jenna.

I looked at the monitor. I saw a man with a gray-and-brown beard. He looked familiar.

"Who is this?" asked Jenna. "Identify yourself."

"I am Samir Atta Nidal of the Blood Martyrs' Brigade," he said.

No way! Samir Atta Nidal was flying that thing? It was designed to be operated by giants.

"How could you be there?" I asked.

"I've gotten a lot bigger."

"I didn't know a human could be turned into a giant," said Jenna.

"Three of my followers sacrificed their lives trying to find a way. I was the first success. Khyron trained me in the use of these Glaugs, and he gave me command of a fighter squadron to lead a mission to destroy the SDF-2. I will take care of you infidels first. Then we will destroy your infidel civilization, and a new Islamic order will rule the world."

"Your infitada ends here!" I yelled.

"Then let's go," said Samir Atta Nidal. "Allahu akbar!"

And then we continued the fight. We made many twists and turns and mode changes around the SDF-2 trying to get a shot at Nidal while trying to avoid being blown to bits. We flew like this for a long time, firing shots at each other. Some of our shots hit the SDF-2, creating more holes in the hull. Nidal just kept managing to get out of the way.

"We have to play this smart," said Jenna. "Our friend here is too quick."

"We'd better take cover," I said.

Jenna switched to guardian mode and we flew roight next to the hull of the SDF-2.

"Where are you, infidels?" asked Nidal.

"He's above us," said Jenna.

"Right here!" I yelled.

We flew up and we fired a volley of missiles towards Nidal's fighter. I saw a fireball. I wondered if Samir Atta Nidal was dead. But his fighter was intact; there was smoke coming out of the booster.

Then I saw the radar lock warning.

"Incoming missiles!" yelled Jenna. She flew to avoid the volley of missiles. I saw the hull of the SDF-2 coming to greet us. I felt a hard thud.

We were now in battloid mode. I looked at the monitor and gazed at the surroundings. I could see bulkheads. We were inside the SDF-2! I looked up and saw a hole which we had fallen through. There were also other holes in the bulkheads created by the Gnerl fighter attack.

"Jenna," I said. "Are you all right? Jenna? Jenna, talk to me!"

There was no response. Was she just unconscious?

"Jenna!"

"Where are you infidels?" asked Nidal.

Then he leaped down. I saw the Glaug officer's pod standing on its legs; Nidal must have jettisoned the booster unit.

"It is time for you to perish like all Jews and infidels will perish," said Samir Atta Nidal. "Allahu Akbar!"

Jenna was not responding, so I did what I had to do.

I pressed every button and pushed every lever I could think of.

The monitor screen turned white. I wondered if I was dead.

"What happened?" asked Jenna.

"You're all right!" I asked.

"I guess so."

I looked and saw smoke coming out of the SDF-2. Its hull was now riddled with holes. The battle turned it into a smoking ruin resembling Swiss cheese.

"Our engines are offline," said Jenna. "I can't get them to start."

Then I saw two bogeys coming for us. They got closer, and I recognized them as Zentraedi power armor.

"Attention, Micronians," said the power armor pilot.

"What?" I asked.

"We are from Lord Breetai's flagship. Do you need any assistance?"

"We can't return to Earth under our own power," said Jenna.

"We will take you to his flagship," said the Zentraedi pilot. One of them used the power armor to push our crippled battloid to Breetai's flagship.

oooooooooooooooooo

Immeidately after we entered the flight deck of Breetai's flagship,. we entered a Zentraedi Recovery Pod with the two Zentraedi Nousdajel power armors. The pod descended towards Earth, landing at the Joint Forces Air Field.

When Jenna walked the battered battloid out of the pod, the sight before us stunned us both.

Macross City was on fire. The SDF-1 was in terrible shape. They attacked here too.

Jenna changed the VF-1R into its guardian mode and we both climbed out. We wondered if our wedding party was still alive.

oooooooooooooo

Frotunately, the wedding party was all alive as the enemy's main target was the SDF-1, not the Joint Forces Air Field. The reception hall was still intact, so we all went there and had the wedding reception. Jenna and I had an interesting story to tell about our trip to space. I had my first dance with her as husband and wife, we had our dinner of veal parmigiana, we had a toast, and we had a cut of our white wedding cake. On the top were figurines of a groom, a bride, and a veritech guardian. We all had a good time, but then it was time to go. Jenna and I went to the guest quarters to spend out first night as husband and wife.

ooooooooooooo

As it turned out, Khyron had launched a suicidal kamikaze attack on the SDF-1 after it fired its main gun. Admiral Henry J. Gloval was killed in the impact. A funeral was held for him. The top brass attended. Zentraedi Supreme Commander Breetai himself came down to Earth to deliver a eulogy. He towered over all of us and even the Skull Leader battloid that stood next to him.

"Henry J. Gloval was my greatest foe," he said. "And an even greater ally. No one I met outside of Zentraedi circles commanded more respect. I was truly blessed to call him friend."

Taps was played as his coffin was lowered.

oooooooooooooooo

"Here we are," said Jenna. "Our new home."

"Finally," I said.

I looked around the living room, which had a couch, a chair, a coffee table, a bookcase, a television, a DVD player, and a stereo system. The kitchen had a tiletopped counter, an electric stove, a refrigerator, and a microwave oven. There were five bedrooms in the house, enough for a family. Much of our stuff was still in cardboard boxes; we still had a lot of unpacking to go through.

The UN had decided to dismantle the remains of SDF-1 and evacuate Macross City. The residents were relocated to Monument City. KNight Squadron was not assigned to Monument City; it was assigned to the United Nation Space Marine Air Station- Long Island. We lived on base for a while until we bought this new house in Merrick, New York, not far from the air base. We moved our stuff here.

We briefly remembered all of those we left behind. But now, from this house, we would forge a new life and move forward.

My life will never be the same again. 


End file.
